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Courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife file<br><br>A cyclist rides past the closed trail sign and orange fencing that stretches across the entrance to the Sale Barn Trail on the southeastern side of Durango in March. Twenty-one roads in La Plata County will be closed this winter as part of annual closures to protect people and wildlife.

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Courtesy of Colorado Parks and Wildlife file<br><br>A cyclist rides past the closed trail sign and orange fencing that stretches across the entrance to the Sale Barn Trail on the southeastern side of Durango in March. Twenty-one roads in La Plata County will be closed this winter as part of annual closures to protect people and wildlife.

Winter is coming. And with the cool temperatures and snowy days come closures of both pedestrian and motor vehicle trails around La Plata County.

The U.S. Forest Service is preparing to close 21 roads in the San Juan Mountains, 14 of which are scheduled to close by the end of the week, according to a news release from the federal agency. The roads scheduled to close this week will be shut down until April 30.

Road closures come every year as the Forest Service tries to protect people from dangerous roads and shelter wildlife from the impacts of vehicle traffic, according to the news release.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife is also closing some trails in the Durango area. The Bodo State Wildlife Area will be closed from Dec. 1 to April 15, except for Smelter Mountain, said Stephen Souva with CPW. Smelter Mountain will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily, and dogs are prohibited, he said.

Perins Peak will also be closed from Dec. 1 to April 15, except for spring turkey season when hunting license holders are allowed in the area, Souva said.

Many trails in the Grandview Ridge trail network will also be closed from Dec. 1 to April 15, including the Big Canyon and Sale Barn trailheads, the South Rim Trail and parts of Sidewinder and Cowboy trails accessible from Carbon Junction, said Mary Monroe Brown with Trails 2000.

The upper portion of Animas City Mountain will be closed from Dec. 1 to April 15, along with the upper trail around Twin Buttes, Monroe Brown said.

Lake Nighthorse has already closed and will remain closed until April, said Parks and Recreation Director Cathy Metz.

Accessing trails while they’re closed is considered trespassing, Metz said. Fee penalties for trespassing vary by agency.

bhauff@durangoherald.com