News Release

Alluvial Fan Hiking Area Closed To Visitor Use July 27 Through September 21

Date: July 21, 2020
Contact: Kyle Patterson, Public Affairs Officer, 970-586-1363
Contact: Park Information, 970-586-1206

Beginning on July 27 through September 24, the Alluvial Fan area in Rocky Mountain National Park will be closed for major trail work. This closure will be in effect on weekends as well. Due to materials and equipment staging, there will very limited parking available on the west side and the east side parking area will be closed.  In September, the west side parking area will have additional closures tied to an exclosure fence project.

The Alluvial Fan Trail project includes stringent accessibility standards. Heavy equipment will be used to complete significant grading and rock wall work. Once this is complete, a new tread surface will be placed. A large park trail crew, comprising of up to 20 members at a time, will be constructing this trail.

The Alluvial Fan was created as a result of the Lawn Lake Dam break and major flood in 1982. In 1985, an asphalt trail and pedestrian bridge was built in the Alluvial Fan because it had become a popular visitor attraction.  A major flood event in 2013 destroyed the bridge and trail.

The project is being funded by $200,000 in federal funds as part of the Centennial Challenge program and is being matched by $200,000 from the Rocky Mountain Conservancy (RMC), the park’s nonprofit partner. Approximately $125,000 of recreational fee funds are also being used to assist in funding this project.

For more information about Rocky Mountain National Park please visit www.nps.gov/romo or call the park’s Information Office at [phone].