It has been twelve years since the 2013 Flood and about a year since the Lefthand OHV stakeholder meetings kicked off, and since then not much has happened. Keystone Policy Center produced a report, and NoCo Places has continued to facilitate the process, although there has only been one meeting since July.
There is a mix of missing information, misinformation, and a lot of complexity. So let’s break down a few possible scenarios and where BMA hopes this all leads.
Scenario 1: Status Quo
Whenever a federal land management agency starts a planning process, they begin with their desired outcomes and then compare different scenarios to see which best meets those goals. “Status quo” is always one of the options, but it rarely achieves the intended results. The USFS has not done much active management in the Lefthand area over the past two decades, and many assume that trend will continue.
Scenario 2: Status Quo+
It is possible that the area could remain mostly unmanaged but see increased law enforcement. Through a mix of federal officers and local agencies, the Forest Service could begin to crack down on unauthorized trail work. For context, 36 CFR 261.10(a) makes it a Class B misdemeanor to create or alter trails without authorization. The penalty can be up to a $5,000 fine and/or six months in jail.
Scenario 3: Full Closure
Lefthand was closed for three years after the 2013 Flood because it was considered a public safety hazard. The USFS has the authority to close the area again if they determine it poses safety risks, such as unsafe parking along Lefthand Canyon Drive, an increase in severe bike-related injuries, or significant new unauthorized trail creation.
Scenario 4: Revert to the Last USFS Decision
Another potential outcome is to revert to the last formal USFS Boulder Ranger District decision, from 2006. That plan (and subsequent amendments) designated the entire trail system as motorized and required any trails or roads not included in the decision to be obliterated. That would be nearly impossible today because many of those original routes and the main parking area were destroyed in the 2013 Flood. BMA does not support this scenario because it would mean all trails would be open to motorized use and would prevent opportunities for mountain bike-only downhill trails.
Scenario 5: A New Travel Management Plan
If the status quo changes, BMA supports creating a new Travel Management Plan that reflects today’s realities, including flood damage, the rising popularity of mountain biking, and the community’s desire for advanced-level trails. These plans take time because federal law requires new National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) studies, public engagement, and comment periods, but this is the only path toward a truly modern and balanced approach to managing the area.
Scenario 6: Co-Managed State Park
Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the USFS are piloting a co-managed model for Pikes Peak. Could something similar happen at Lefthand? It is possible. A state–federal partnership could bring the kind of resources and management capacity that the Forest Service currently lacks.
So What’s Most Likely?
NoCo Places has shown a strong commitment to addressing unauthorized trails across the northern Front Range, and they have resources the USFS simply does not. The “status quo” may linger for a while, but it is unlikely that Lefthand will remain unmanaged forever. Reverting to the 2006 decision seems unrealistic because many projects from that plan, such as expanding the parking lot, were never completed before the flood closed the area to motorized use.
The most realistic outcomes are either a new USFS Travel Management Plan or a co-managed arrangement with another agency. When that process begins, it will be crucial for the mountain bike community to show up united, positive, and ready to engage.
The future of Lefthand is not just about whether we will share the space with motorized users or what trail standards the USFS applies. It is about shaping what comes next: whether this area remains a hub for advanced mountain biking or slips back to a time when there were just a few miles of designated singletrack trails at Lefthand.
Make sure you are getting BMA and Friends of Lefthand updates and staying in the loop. We all need to work together to keep Lefthand the special place it is.