Latest news with #GMUG
Yahoo
23-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
GMUG to temporarily close Island Lake day-use area, Little Bear Campground
MESA COUNTY, Colo. (KREX) – Starting on June 2, the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests' Grand Valley Ranger District are closing Little Bear Campground and the Island Lake day-use area for reconstruction and rehabilitation. Amidst the closure, which is to last through the summer of 2026, the site will get new fire rings, restrooms and picnic tables. GMUG also wants to improve the recreation and accessibility of the area with infrastructure improvements on kiosks, roads and walkways. For the Island Lake day-use area and its boat ramp, they'll be closed seasonally from June to November. The shoreline will remain open to fishing. These projects will use funding from the Great American Outdoors Act which provides federal land management agencies with resources for maintenance and improvement of public lands. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Yahoo
Here's why Blue Lakes area is temporarily closing
OURAY, Colo. (KREX) – A temporary closure of the Blue Lakes area will be implemented as reconstruction will take place to improve visitor experience, the U.S. Forest Service said. The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests announced Thursday the closure starts June 2 and ends sometime this August as soon as the area is safe to access. The work includes the reconstruction of the trailhead parking area and the installation of two new vault restrooms at Blue Lakes, which is about 12 miles southwest of Ridgway. GMUG said these efforts are the first phase of the Blue Lakes visitor use management plan. 'We are looking forward to putting this plan into motion,' said Dana Gardunio, district ranger for the Ouray District. 'While we understand, having a temporary closure is an inconvenience, the outcome will vastly improve the parking and public health and safety issue in the area. We appreciate the public's cooperation in respecting the closure.' The project funding comes from the Great American Outdoors Act. GMUG said, that besides site improvements, it will install kiosks, interpretive panels, signage and temporary fences to preserve restored areas. Work will also include cataloging invasive plants and developing outreach campaigns and a monitoring plan for improved visitor use metrics. The last touches consist of establishing designated camping areas and completing restoration work on social trails and impacted sites. This was made possible through partnerships with the National Forest Foundation and Southwest Conservation Corps, a program of Conservation Legacy, according to the U.S. Forest Service. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
