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Summit County is currently restricting public access to the Open Space and Trails Department in order to reduce COVID-19 transmission.
The Open Space and Trails Department is available Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. with one staff member at the office. Occasionally it is necessary for staff to perform site visits or appointments to various locations throughout the County and staff may not be available on a given day or time. Therefore we strongly encourage the public to continue to make contact with the Department through phone calls and e-mails. If after conversing with staff by email or phone there is a need to physically come to our offices, appointments can be made quickly and easily.
While there are currently no closures to County Open Space and trail property interests related to the ongoing COVID-19 emergency, the Governor’s Public Health Orders contains specific Social Distancing requirements that should be applied on trails, at trailheads, and in the backcountry:
Social Distancing: To reduce the risk of disease transmission, individuals shall maintain at least a six-foot distance from other individuals, wash hands with soap and water for at least twenty seconds as frequently as possible or using hand sanitizer, cover coughs or sneezes (into the sleeve or elbow, not hands), regularly clean high-touch surfaces, and not shake hands.
No matter what type of outdoor activities you choose to pursue in Summit County during the winter months, proper gear and knowledge to keep you safe in the mountains and avoid avalanche risk is essential. Learn more here and Know Before You Go.
E-bikes are a growing trend in cycling. For more information about e-bike regulations and their use on natural surface trails or the Recpath, visit our special projects page.
Open Space and Trails preserves and enhances landscapes and recreational opportunities by reducing pollution at numerous abandoned mine sites.
Watch elk, mule deer, coyotes, foxes, and mountain lions on Summit County Open Space.
More people are attacked by moose than by any other wildlife species, but attacks are preventable. See Colorado Parks and Wildlife's strategies for preventing moose attacks.