Sawhill Ponds Trailhead will be closed in the fall for trailhead improvements

The City of Boulder plans to reopen Sawhill Ponds on Thursday, May 23, following work related to a multi-year project to improve the city’s main sanitary sewer line. The closure helped expedite the Main Sewer Improvements Project and was timed to protect wildlife from disturbances.

The Main Sewer Improvements project will enhance and rehabilitate the city’s main sanitary sewer line, located next to Sawhill and Walden Ponds. This ongoing project aims to:

  • Strengthen wastewater infrastructure by rehabilitating the existing sewer line.
  • Protect public health by increasing wastewater collections capacity.
  • Reduce flood vulnerability by moving wastewater flow out of the floodway.
  • Protect and conserve the environment by decreasing the risk of wastewater discharge.

As part of this project, the city has made improvements for visitors experiencing mobility challenges, repaired trail areas damaged by the 2013 Front Range Flood and completed trail and access road enhancements.

City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) will close the Sawhill Ponds Trailhead this fall to conduct several trailhead improvements, including constructing a new fishing pier, enhancing bus parking and upgrading infrastructure to help visitors observe wildlife. The department will also improve parking and the Sawhill Ponds Trail for community members experiencing disabilities, helping them to experience the fishing pier and picnic areas better. Learn more about trail and trailhead projects OSMP is planning this year. OSMP plans to keep the Sawhill Ponds Trail open and accessible from nearby Walden Ponds while trailhead improvements occur.

For more information on the Main Sewer Improvements Project and impacts, please visit the city’s website. OSMP reminds community members to visit OSMPTrails.org to see current closures across the city’s trail system. Visitors can also see current closures through the Colorado Trail Explorer while more detailed closure information – including seasonal wildlife closures – is available through a city webpage. Visitors can also receive updates on muddy trail closures by texting “OSMP” to 888-777 to sign up for text updates about muddy trail closures.

Photo by: Ann G. Duncan

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