Greetings from Hessie!
This spring is full of “opportunities” for Boulder County’s equestrians — if we show up at a bunch of upcoming meetings to tell our public land managers what we think.
The next issue on the horizon is Horse Trailer Parking at the Hessie Trailhead.
We have — literally — been working for improved trailer parking at Hessie for more than 20 years. We thought we were actually getting close to success, until last week.
Hessie is “the” access point for many beautiful places in the Indian Peaks Wilderness: Lost Lake, King Lake, Betty & Bob Lakes, Skyscraper Reservoir, Woodland Lake, historic mining communities, and lots more. These trails are all open to horses. We used to be able to park trailers in the meadow near the cabins — but no more. And there are so many cars parking along the road now there isn’t even room to turn around, let alone park. Without trailer parking, we are effectively being banned from our historic “equestrian habitat.”
Boulder County Transportation is proposing “widening the road, ( = removing two-thirds of the existing arking but) adding road shoulder parking (= for cars only), adding a free shuttle service from Nederland High School, and increasing parking enforcement.”
None of that helps us, does it?!? We were promised a “real” trailhead parking lot, with designated spaces for a few horse trailers — and now they are going to reduce overall parking, with nary a thought about us.
So, what can you do???
Please come to a series of meetings and speak about the need for equestrian facilities!
Tuesday May 8, 4:30-7pm, Public Open House, Boulder County Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St, Boulder.
Wednesday May 9, 6pm, Public meeting, Nederland High School Library, 597 CR 130.
Tuesday May 22, 2pm, Boulder County Commissioners public hearing, BC Courthouse, 1325 Pearl St, Boulder. The final decision will be made at this meeting.
For more information, including project overview and history (from the county’s point of view), meeting schedules, online comment form and contact information, visit www.HessieTrailhead.com
For more info on the project history (from our point of view) contact BCHA at info@boulderhorse.org
Public comment will be accepted until May 11. If you absolutely can’t make it to these meetings, please write the Board of County Commissioners at commissioners@bouldercounty.org and ask them to support horse trailer parking at Hessie.
But the best thing is to come to as many of these meetings as you possibly can, and invite everyone you know to join you! Remember, the world is run by those who show up.
