Take the OSMP Responsible Recreation Survey here.
- As we develop an Open Space and Mountain Parks Master Plan, tell us how would you like to enjoy Boulder’s public land into the future?
Suggestion by BMA: Enjoy the land responsibly, have lots of fun close to town, and leave it better than I found it.
- We have three major themes to guide the “Responsible Recreation, Stewardship and Enjoyment” focus area for the Master Plan. Please rank these topics.
BMA suggested sequence:
- Support responsible recreation
- Managing effects of recreation
- Maintaining trails and facilities
- Do any of the statements below describe barriers to your enjoyment of Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP)?
BMA recommends checking the second and the last bullet points, and write-in:
> The trails are not interesting enough for my preferred activity
> Other – Write-in
OSMP’s multi-use trails are unsustainable and boring. When making them sustainable consider rerouting them to meander around trees, follow the contours of the land, and add fun features like grade reversals, berms, and alternate routes with (rock) features for different abilities.
> With the growing population we need more trails in less sensitive areas.
> Stacked loops are an option for fitting more trails miles per acre.
> No multi-use paths exist to get to trailheads from the city (Marshall Mesa, Doudy Draw, Boulder Valley Ranch, etc.)
> Most multi-use trails have not been purpose-built for bikes and are rather boring, although bikers are a majority user group on some of those trails (example: Flatirons Vista South trail)
> Many multi-use trails are not built with sustainability in mind and are eroding (example: Coalseam trail)
> Too few bike-racks provided at trail-heads
- OSMP fosters high-quality experiences while also maintaining the integrity of sensitive natural areas through actions such as:
> Temporary wildlife closures around designated trails
> Muddy trail closures to protect trails and adjacent natural resources
> Re-routing trails around sensitive areas
> Education to instill a stewardship ethic, such as “Leave No Trace”
Do you have any other suggestions? NO/YES
BMA recommends selecting YES and writing something similar to:
Outdoor recreation is an important part of an active and healthy community and trails should be routed so they can stay open as much as possible, for example, around sensitive habitat to minimize the need for wildlife closures.
Trails built in a more resilient way are more sustainable and less susceptible to muddy conditions.
Community outreach through organizations like BMA provides a greater reach and promises higher success rate.
The Boulder Mountainbike Patrol has been very successful at providing persistent community outreach and trail user education for many years.
- Amid increasing visitation along the Front Range, please tell us your level of agreement with these possible management options:
Rate items based on your experience. See BMA suggestions below:
> Designate more areas as “on-trail use” only: BMA: Mountainbikers are very good at staying on-trail and this does not really affect us.
> Re-align or restore (close) unofficial, social trails that disturb habitats: BMA: In areas where mountainbikes are allowed there are very few social trails.
> Disperse visitation throughout the 155-mile trail system: BMA: YES! We need more miles of bike trails
> Enact time-based separation of activities. For example: Hikers Tuesday / Bikers Wednesday BMA: We are only in favor of this if there are bike-only days like at JeffCo’s Centennial Cone, but not at Betasso Preserve where there are no-bike days and shared trail days.
> Enact one-way traffic requirements. For example, on loop trails: Bikers go south while others activities go north or south: BMA: We can support this.
> Consider process improvements to current dog management, such as the Voice and Sight Tag Program, “no dog” trails and dog waste management: BMA: N/A
- Do you have any other suggestions?
BMA recommends selecting YES and writing in something similar to:
OMSP’s own studies have shown that the number of mountain bikers has increased while the number of complaints has stagnated. This is in no small part because of the Boulder Mountainbike Patrol and BMA’s community outreach and trail user education, and there are no other trail user groups with similar success stories. Nevertheless, mountain bikers only have access to a small percentage of trail miles and are first in line when access restrictions are being discussed. A more fair and equal treatment is in order.
- Please tell us your level of agreement with the following statement: “OSMP should acquire additional properties that are of lower ecological value to increase passive recreation opportunities and reduce impacts on existing OSMP lands of higher ecological value.”
BMA recommends selecting: STRONGLY AGREE
- How often do you recreate on City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks land?
Select your frequency.
- Do you have suggestions for improving OSMP visitor amenities, such as trails, signs, trailheads, nature centers, picnic areas, fishing piers?
BMA recommends selecting YES and writing-in something similar to:
> Provide more and better maps
> Need more effort to educate people on the dos and don’ts
> Use sandwich boards to present rotating messages on trail etiquette
> Need more picnic areas or simple lunch rocks
> Need marked trails to vistas and other destinations
> Recommended hikes / bike rides for people with different abilities
> Need purpose-built multi-use trails for bikes which are a majority user group in those areas
- Which part of Boulder do you live in?
Select as applicable