Blue Valley Ranch describes land exchange, public access and river restoration plans

Rob Firth, representing Blue Valley Ranch, gave a detailed presentation on Jan. 21 about a long-running land-exchange package with the Bureau of Land Management that aims to increase public access, protect scenic lands and fund river restoration on the Blue River and Spring Creek.

Firth said the exchange pairs approximately 1,800 acres the ranch sought to reacquire with roughly 1,400 acres the ranch is offering back to BLM in various parcels. He described nine parcels offered to the BLM and a set of inholdings the ranch sought to obtain. The package includes formal public-access features: a Spring Creek takeout and improved parking; a downstream rest area with toilets, trash service and picnic tables; trail connections; and multiple walk-in fishing access points.

Firth described planned river-restoration work at the confluence aimed at narrowing and deepening channels and building in-stream structures (so-called J-hooks and other features) to improve trout habitat and holding water. He said Blue Valley Ranch will fund initial restoration and trail work and offered an operations-and-maintenance fund to support long-term upkeep. At one point county discussion noted an O&M fund figure of about $3,000,000; Firth said BLM and other parties had discussed who would hold and administer that fund in perpetuity, and that BLM eventually proposed stewardship arrangements that Blue Valley Ranch accepted.

The ranch also described improvements below Green Mountain Reservoir and a public takeout area on Spring Creek that historically had informal public use. The plan includes a permanent public easement and infrastructure improvements the ranch will build and then hand to the federal land manager for long-term management. Firth said Blue Valley Ranch intends to make the on-the-ground work shovel-ready and to participate in grant applications that could extend restoration funding; he said some restoration and access improvements may start in 2026 after permitting and 404/NEPA processes are completed.

County commissioners asked technical questions about access, maintenance responsibility and timeline. County staff and the ranch discussed next steps including permitting, 404 approvals, and coordination with Summit County, the Upper Colorado Basin stakeholders and the BLM. Commissioners thanked the ranch and federal staff for the multi-year effort and said the eventual mix of restored river habitat and increased managed public access responded to long-standing public concerns about lost fishing and access at Parcel I, the confluence and other previously used takeout points.

Firth invited commissioners to a site visit when weather permits so they could view existing restoration structures and planned improvements in the field.