The Norwood Ranger District of the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison National Forest (GMUG) is seeking public comments on a proposal to continue site improvements at the Alta Lakes Recreation Area. The project area includes Alta Lakes, Gold King Basin, Wild Boy Lake, and the Alta Lakes Road (FDR 632). The recreation area is located in a high-alpine basin about 13 miles south of Telluride, Colorado in San Miguel County.
The purpose of this proposal is to address present and future impacts at the popular destination through specific actions that will reduce natural resource degradation by managing visitor impacts and sanitation issues. Improvements include: hardening, improving, and formally designating twenty campsites at Alta Lakes; installing three permanent vault restrooms in the camping area; improving existing access roads within the camping area; allowing campfires only in designated fires rings throughout the project area; decommissioning and rehabilitating non-system roads; enhancing visitor signage; improving the existing trail around the lake; rehabilitating riparian areas to address soil compaction and erosion; constructing two day-use parking areas that will provide parking at the main Alta Lake; closing off vehicle traffic to the east side of Alta Lakes; prohibiting camping in Gold King Basin; designating six campsites at Wild Boy Lake; prohibiting camping along the Alta Lakes road except for three designated campsites and prohibiting trailers on the Alta Lakes Road except for administrative access.
The management actions being proposed are mostly consistent with the 2018 Alta Lakes Recreation Area Master Plan that was developed with input from various stakeholders including private landowners, local governments, interested parties, and local community members. Components outlined in Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the Master Plan are being proposed for review as part of this analysis. The proposed implementation timeline is projected to start in the summer of 2023.
