Public access to be restricted June 28 on Colorado Trail
The Forest Service will restrict public access and use of the Colorado Trail between Kennebec Pass and Junction Creek Campground from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. June 28 to ensure public safety and facilitate management of a mountain biking event sponsored by Big Mountain Enduro.
About 20 miles of the trail will be affected for a six-hour period, when 120 to 180 riders are expected to participate in the event. Big Mountain Enduro and the Forest Service will have personnel staged at various trail access points before and during the event to inform the public and provide information.
Those driving Junction Creek Road (Forest Road 171) should anticipate bicyclists descending from the Junction Creek Campground from midmorning to late afternoon. The lowest section of the trail from the end of the pavement on Junction Creek Road to the intersection with the cutoff trail to the campground will not be part of the race course and will remain open.
Race sponsors and participants will not be allowed to park vehicles at the Colorado Trail trailhead at the forest boundary, so that parking will be available to the public.
For more information, call Jed Botsford at 884-1436.
Seniors Outdoors announces upcoming events
Seniors Outdoors will host these events:
On Friday the “Larkspur Lane” hike will take place, following the lower Engineer Mountain trail. Early turn-backs will be allowed. Well-mannered dogs also will be allowed but must be under control. To RSVP, call Betsy Petersen at 259-5417 or email betsyp@bresnan.net.
A hard hike will held Saturday to climb Gibbs Peak. Dogs are allowed. To RSVP, call Rich Butler at 403-3185 or email rbbutler54@gmail.com.
A Lost Lake mountain-bike ride will take place Monday starting at Lemon Dam. To RSVP, call Olin Kane at 375-0060 or email kanes@frontier.net.
The Monday Durango Area Bike Ride will begin at Home Depot. Helmets and gloves are required. For more information, call Jim Newman at 884-7717 or email Newmanji10@aol.com.
There will be a hard exploratory hike in the mountains west of Rico on Monday. Dogs are allowed. To RSVP, call Rich Butler at 403-3185 or email rbbutler54@gmail.com.
On Wednesday, there will be a challenging hike on the Indian Trail Ridge from Kennebec Pass to the Bear Creek trailhead. Dogs are not allowed. Four-wheel-drive or high-clearance vehicles are required. To RSVP, call Debra Van Winegarden at 769-7269, email debra@vanwinegarden.com, call Tom Ward at (970) 459-4312 or email tom@thward.net.
The Wednesday Wanderers will hike the Log Chutes Trail in the Junction Creek area. This hike is for members only. No RSVP is necessary. Dogs are not allowed. For more information, call Barb Hancock at 764-4531
On Thursday, a hard climb to Pagosa Peak is planned. Four-wheel-drive or high-clearance vehicles are required. Dogs are allowed. To RSVP, call Michael Snyder at 403-1042 or email comichael57@gmail.com.
The Thursday Durango Area Bike Ride will begin at Santa Rita Park. Helmets and gloves are required. For more information, call Newman at 884-7717 or email Newmanji10@aol.com.
For more information about Seniors Outdoors, visit www.seniorsoutdoors.org.
Durango Nature Studies announces programs
Durango Nature Studies announces these programs:
The Durango Nature Center in Bondad will be open to the public from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays through October. The center is free for members and children 12 and younger and $5 for nonmembers.
Weekly Wee Walk Abouts, preschool nature walks, will take place from 10 to 11 a.m. Wednesdays from June to August at the Rotary Park pavilion, 5665 East Second Ave. The cost is $5 per child and free for members.
A full-moon hike under the Strawberry Moon will take place from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. today at the Sale Barn Trail. The hike is free for members and $10 for nonmembers.
A Kids’ Nature Workshop will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday at the Durango Nature Center.
An Introduction to Nature Photography Workshop will take place from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. June 21 at the Nature Center. The cost is $10 for nonmembers, and free for members.
A new-moon Astro-Tour will take place at 9 p.m. June 28 at the Nature Center. The tour is free for members and $10 for nonmembers.
To register or for more information, email sally@durangonaturestudies.org, call 769-1800 or visit www.durangonaturestudies.org/wildwords.htm.
Self-guided nature tour available at DMR
A self-guided nature tour is available at Durango Mountain Resort.
The San Juan Mountains Association has created a free brochure that guides visitors on the Brush Rake Loop at the top of Chairlift No. 4. There are signs along the way, where you can stop and learn about nature. Brochures are available at the DMR ticket office, DMR Backcountry Experience or at www.sjma.org.
Ladies mountain bike clinic still has spaces available
Spaces for beginner and intermediate riders are still available in the Ladies Mountain Bike Clinic on Saturday and Sunday.
Participants will meet from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at Mountain Bike Specialists, 949 Main Ave., and from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday. Participants should bring a mountain bike, helmet, gloves, drinks and snacks. Specialized mountain bikes will be available for demo on a first-come, first-served basis. The price for the training is $175.
For more information, email patti@durangomountainbikecamp.com.
Herald Staff
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