| Contacts: | Erin Curtis, Public Information Officer, (970) 244-3097 |
More BLM Trailheads Close for Upgrades
Grand Junction, CO -- The Bureau of Land Management will be periodically closing two popular trailheads just outside of Grand Junction this month for upgrades.
This week, Little Park Trailhead off of Monument Road will be closed as workers begin construction to double the size of the parking lot and install a restroom. The parking area will be closed this week Monday through Friday, as well as next week Monday through Friday.
Next Monday and Tuesday, the Ribbon trailhead will also be closed as workers install a restroom at the trailhead. The Ribbon trailhead is scheduled to reopen on Wednesday, June 16.
While the trailheads are closed, all trails will remain open, but parking will be limited. Some parking is available in pull-outs along the road to the west of Little Park trailhead, and to the south of the Ribbon Trail. Both trails are within 10 minutes of downtown Grand Junction, and popular with mountain bikers and hikers.
“Once the parking lots and trailheads are reopened, we encourage everyone using the trail to park at the parking lot and not along the road,” said Chris Ham, BLM supervisory recreation planner. “One of our main purposes for doubling the size of the Little Park trailhead is to reduce the number of cars parked alongside the road for safety and to protect resources.”
For more information on projects and related closures in the area, visit the Grand Junction Field Office website, http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo.html.
The BLM manages more than 245 million acres of public land, the most of any Federal agency. This land, known as the National System of Public Lands, is primarily located in 12 Western states, including Alaska. The BLM also administers 700 million acres of sub-surface mineral estate throughout the nation. In Fiscal Year (FY) 2011, recreational and other activities on BLM-managed land contributed more than $130 billion to the U.S. economy and supported more than 600,000 American jobs. The Bureau is also one of a handful of agencies that collects more revenue than it spends. In FY 2012, nearly $5.7 billion will be generated on lands managed by the BLM, which operates on a $1.1 billion budget. The BLM's multiple-use mission is to sustain the health and productivity of the public lands for the use and enjoyment of present and future generations. The Bureau accomplishes this by managing such activities as outdoor recreation, livestock grazing, mineral development, and energy production, and by conserving natural, historical, cultural, and other resources on public lands.
2815 H Road Grand Junction, CO 81506