Annual dust mitigation project to start next week.
Weekday access to Waterton Canyon will be closed on weekdays from Monday, May 16, through Friday, May 27, for Denver Water’s annual dust mitigation project. Neither the parking lot at the canyon's entrance nor the canyon will be accessible during this time.
Waterton Canyon will remain open on Saturday, May 21, and Sunday, May 22, for weekend recreation.
As a working facility, there are times when operations and maintenance projects create unsafe conditions for the public, prompting us to close trail access. Denver Water performs maintenance projects like this one to provide for a better experience throughout the canyon by creating optimal conditions for a family-friendly hiking and biking experience.
“Waterton Canyon is an extremely popular recreation destination, and we recognize that the two-week, weekday closure is an inconvenience,” said Brandon Ransom, manager of recreation for Denver Water. “By taking the time to reduce the dust early in the season, we’ll be able to provide a better experience for hikers, bikers and runners throughout the rest of the summer.”
Those traveling along the Colorado Trail are advised to seek alternative starting routes such as the Indian Creek Trailhead or at Roxborough State Park, which can be found at coloradotrail/traveling-the-ct/starting-in-denver.
Gross Reservoir fully closed to recreation for 2-3 weeks in May to allow for construction of access improvements.
The closure will begin on May 9 and is expected to last until May 20. This should allow for the destination to reopen in time for the start of boating season on May 27, according to a release from Denver Water.
Work during the closure will include a new parking area, trail handrails, improvements to trail and access road surfacing, boat ramp construction and new signage. These improvements are needed to accommodate the shift in recreation access due to closures on the south side of the reservoir for the duration of the project.
As the project moves forward, there will also be periodic on-water recreation closures to ensure recreationist safety. Such closures will be temporary, and Denver Water will make every effort to alert the public to closures ahead of time. We encourage visitors to the reservoir to check the project website, grossreservoir.org, or Google My Map for information on access and construction activities.
Read the full press release here.