Phase one trail construction will begin this week on the Cutthroat Trail, a roughly 5.5-mile trail situated above the East Fork of Hermosa Creek on the Columbine Ranger District. This new multiple-use trail will be accessible to E-bikes, hikers, horseback riders, and mountain bikers wanting to explore the Hermosa area, and will be the first non-motorized trail open to E-Bikes. Public use of the trail will not be allowed during phase one construction, which will be complete September 30th
Photo by Conservation Legacy
This project is possible with support from the San Juan Stewardship Fund (administered by the National Forest Foundation), which began in 2017 as a partnership between Purgatory Resort, the NFF, and the San Juan NF. For the Cutthroat Trail project, partnerships have expanded to include Southwest Conservation Corps, Durango Trails, and Cottonwood Consulting, who participated in planning efforts and are now joining forces to break ground. Other partners in support of the Cutthroat Trail and the San Juan Stewardship Fund include Yeti Coolers and the Catena Foundation.
The Cutthroat Trail will be built in two phases. Phase one (2020) will construct the trail from Cascade Divide Road to Sigg Creek Campground. Phase two (2021) will continue from Sigg Creek to the Upper Hermosa Park Trailhead. The trail was designated in 2017 through the Hermosa Special Management Plan, which was a public planning process. Multiple Forest Service-authorized activities occur in the east fork Hermosa area, and the San Juan NF asks trail users to please leave gates closed behind them due to active grazing allotments.
For more information on the Cutthroat Trail, the San Juan Stewardship Fund, partnership efforts, and opportunities to contribute and get involved, check out the National Forest Foundation’s webpage or contact NFF Colorado Program Manager Emily Olsen at [email protected].
For more information on Cutthroat Trail construction, please contact Columbine Ranger District Recreation Program Staff Jed Botsford at (970) 884-1436 or by email at [email protected].
All offices on the San Juan National Forest are conducting business and providing services virtually. For information on the San Juan National Forest, call (970) 247-4874, visit the forest website, or follow us on social media (Twitter and Facebook).
