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Pitkin County accepts quitclaim deed, settles Rock Creek road dispute and preserves public access to Fallohaw Meadows
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners approved an ordinance accepting a quitclaim deed from the Rock Creek Association and a settlement agreement that resolves long‑running litigation and restores public pedestrian access to Fallohaw Meadows, the county said the deed will be recorded and the litigation dismissed.
Pitkin County on Wednesday approved an ordinance to accept a quitclaim deed from the Rock Creek Association and a settlement agreement that resolves a multi‑year dispute over the historic Rock Creek wagon road.
The action directed county staff to record the deed, accept an amendment to a prior trail easement, and dismiss the litigation that originated in 2019. County staff said the deed conveys a corridor centered on the historic road (the draft deed covers a corridor roughly 50 feet on either side of the existing road centerline) and restores clear public access to the Fallohaw Meadows Nature Preserve.
Why it matters: The Rock Creek wagon road has historic significance and is a local recreational corridor that residents use for walking and easy river access. County staff and advocates said reopening this route preserves an accessible riverside walk for Redstone area residents and visitors, and makes Fallohaw Meadows’s July 1 seasonal opening accessible by foot.
Details and background
- Settlement and deed: The ordinance authorizes acceptance of a quitclaim deed from Rock Creek Association and approves the settlement agreement. County attorney staff said the documents implement a negotiated resolution and will be followed immediately by deed recording and a stipulated dismissal of the pending case.
- Extent and use: County staff described the historic road as the Rock Creek Wagon Road, built in the late 1880s/1890s and later paralleled by a rail corridor. The segment between Redstone and the Fallohaw gate is used as a gentle walking route suitable for families and people seeking easy, low‑grade river access.
- Access and restrictions: Fallohaw Meadows opens seasonally (staff noted July 1 through October) and is managed as a nature preserve. The trail/road access under the settlement remains open for pedestrian use; bicycles are not permitted inside the preserve by current management rules.
What staff and commissioners said
County attorney staff thanked residents and members of the public who submitted affidavits and historical documentation in support of public access during the litigation. Open Space staff and commissioners spoke to the road’s history and recreational value; one commissioner noted the project as an example of detailed, long‑running public‑lands work.
Next steps
County staff will record the quitclaim deed and file the stipulated dismissal in the court case. Open Space and Trails will coordinate signage and public notice about access and the seasonal opening schedule for Fallohaw Meadows.
Ending
The ordinance concludes a years‑long effort by county staff and local advocates to clarify public access rights on a historically important local corridor and to make the preserve accessible to residents and visitors on a seasonal basis.
