Open Space and Mountain Parks

Please see the temporary closures page for more details on the trail closures below. OSMP's interactive trail map also shows these longer-term trail closures and restrictions: 

• Muddy trail closures: Please check the trail map or temporary closures page for any muddy trail closures.
• Boulder Falls closure: Boulder Falls will be closed beginning 10/21 because of road construction in the area. 
• Xcel Energy electric transmission line work: Xcel is working in the NCAR area; please check the temporary closures page for details.
• IBM Connector Trail closure: The trail will be closed west of 63rd St. beginning 9/11. 
• 1st/2nd Flatiron Trail closure: The 1st/2nd Flatiron Trail will be closed Mon-Thurs every week into the fall.

Prairie Dogs public process: The City of Boulder will begin an expedited review of how it manages irrigated agricultural fields and prairie dogs later this month and will seek input on ways it can foster healthy soils and promote sustainable agricultural land uses. Open Space and Mountain Parks (OSMP) will host an open house on Wednesday, Oct. 23, for this effort. Learn more. 

OSMP Master Plan Update: City Council unanimously accepted and adopted the OSMP Master Plan on September 3, 2019. Thanks to everyone who participated in this planning process. With City Council’s final adoption of the Master Plan OSMP will begin implementing the plan through a series of actions tied to the strategies and will begin annually reporting on successes in achieving the vision laid out by the plan. This fall staff also will prepare an illustrative document to bring our shared vision to life.

Help improve our interactive trail map! Open Space and Mountain Parks is interested in learning how we can improve your experience when using our interactive web map. Your input on a quick 5-minute questionnaire will inform our work to help the community better connect with OSMP. View the map and survey.

Algae blooms at lakes and ponds advisory: The City of Boulder reminds residents and open space and parks visitors to exercise caution as sustained high temperatures have increased the risk of potentially harmful algae blooms at city lakes and ponds. In particular, the city advises residents to keep children and pets out of Wonderland Lake in north Boulder, where potentially harmful, blue-green algae blooms have been identified. Whenever community members see algae at area lakes and ponds, they should exercise significant caution to keep their pets out of those areas and avoid contact with water. Learn more about the advisory.

Tall Oatgrass Management Program: Learn about why it's so important to aggressively manage tall oatgrass in Boulder County and what OSMP is doing about it:

• OSMP Tall Oatgrass Management Program Overview
• OSMP Tall Oatgrass Ecological Impact Study

Purchase OSMP annual parking permits online: Visitors whose vehicles are registered outside of Boulder County can now purchase OSMP annual parking permits online. Learn more about parking permits. 

Free, public Nature Hikes and Programs can be found at NatureHikes.org.

View main city calendar for all upcoming city events, or for more events like this