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Commissioners favor pursuing permit for larger mountain parking lot to ease trail/owner conflicts
Summary
Staff and the county engineer sketched two design options for a new parking lot near the Red Grade/Redway trail system; commissioners expressed a preference for the larger design if funding and BLM permitting make it viable, and directed staff to proceed with an application to the BLM and return with cost estimates.
County engineering staff outlined two parking-lot designs intended to reduce congestion between cabin owners and trail users in the Red Grade/Redway trail area. The larger design would accommodate roughly 12 large trucks/trailers and requires about 2,500 cubic yards of fill; the smaller design would fit about 6–8 and needs around 1,400 cubic yards of fill. Staff said the project would require Bureau of Land Management (BLM) permitting, environmental review and a public-comment period.
Commissioners voiced support for pursuing the larger option "if we can do it, it's viable with funding," and noted potential mitigation (snow-fence, snow-drift management) to address impacts on nearby properties. The engineer said bringing an application and the chosen design to BLM is a near-term next step; if BLM approves, staff will return with cost estimates and potential funding sources, which could place construction in the 2026–27 budget cycle depending on permitting timelines.
Why it matters: the proposal aims to reduce safety and congestion problems on winter trail routes by providing more appropriately sited parking higher in the snow belt. Commissioners requested staff to work with BLM and to return with permit-ready designs and budget estimates.
