CORTEZ – The Tres Rios Office of the Bureau of Land Management and Montezuma County are working to clarify issues of access to 1,200 acres of public lands south of Summit Lake.

The land is hemmed in by private property and is accessible only via red-signed subdivision roads, which are generally considered private, unlike public green-signed roads that are controlled and maintained by the county.

However, county-approved plats for the Summit Lake West and Cedar Mesa Ranch subdivisions bordering the BLM land on the north and south, show that red-signed roads are for public use.

During a tour of the area June 1, Connie Clementson, Tres Rios BLM field manager, requested the county’s help because people trying to access the public lands are being run off by private landowners.

She said the BLM is interested in installing a parking lot and trailhead off the corner of red-signed roads 35.6 and N where it borders BLM land to offer non-motorized, dispersed equestrian and pedestrian use.

“We’re not sure what to tell people because the plats say open to public use, but people are getting kicked off,” Clementson said. “It’s a great location for a trailhead.”

According to the Summit Lake West subdivision plat, “Road easements 60-foot wide, 30 foot each side of the centerline on this plat are hereby dedicated to the public use forever.”

But because the roads are on private land, the language could be open to interpretation. Subdivision residents are concerned about the impacts of increased use on the roads, which they maintain.

BLM and county officials said that if a mile of Road 35.6 and a short section of Road N were designated to be maintained by the county it would solve the access problem.

County Commissioner Keenan Ertel pointed out that adding another mile of road maintenance and upgrades on Road 35.6 will cost the county, and he asked what the BLM could bring to the table.

Clementson said the agency does not have the budget for roads outside BLM lands, but if access on roads 35.6 and N could be clearly verified or changed to green-signed, the agency could move forward on planning for the parking lot and trailhead.

“We are focusing on this because we want people to use and enjoy these wonderful public lands,” Clementson said, adding that the county or recreation groups are eligible for grant money that could help defray road costs.

The Mesa Verde Backcountry Horsemen approached the BLM about providing better access to the land, said BLM Recreation Planner Jeff Christenson. He said the area has a non-motorized, equestrian and pedestrian emphasis in the BLM Resource Management Plan, and that would be the focus of use there if a plan went forward. There would be seasonal closures for winter wildlife habitat.

Limited or no trails would help deter mountain biking, Christenson said, which tends to take over once trail systems are put in place, a common complaint of equestrian users.

“The best way would be dispersed use without developed trails because equestrians don’t need trails,” Christenson said.

“I don’t think you’d get big complaints from the biking community if this was more for horses,” said commissioner Larry Don Suckla. “It is my opinion to make it a green road and let (the BLM) put in a parking lot so people can access their public lands.”

On the south, the BLM parcel borders the Cedar Mesa Ranch subdivision, which also has red-signed roads. Plat language there also supports public use of the roads, and it goes a step further by designating a “20-foot wide easement for pedestrian and equestrian use” to BLM lands off Road 35. However, possible access from Road J.7 has better potential because of room for parking.

Commissioners want to confer with their attorney on red-road access in both subdivisions. They discussed that a first step might be verifying the roads are open to the public, then consider a green-road designation later if needed because of increased use.

“Property owners may need to be educated on what they bought into here,” said Ertel. “It states in the plats these are public roads. If so, then we may not have to do anything.”

jmimiaga@the-journal.com