Outdoor enthusiasts in Boulder can now explore the new Vesper Trail in the City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks, thanks to burrowing owls successfully raising their young. The trail, located near 75th Street and Lookout Road, was opened after two pairs of burrowing owls raised a total of eight owlets. These owls are a federally protected species that are seeing a decline in population throughout Colorado.
The trail was temporarily closed to allow the owls to reproduce without disturbance from human activity. The City of Boulder Open Space and Mountain Parks department expressed gratitude to the community for respecting the closure and helping protect the only burrowing owl nests on city-managed open space. Visitors are reminded to stay on the designated trail to protect wildlife and allow undesignated trails to recover.
The creation of the Vesper Trail was part of the Gunbarrel Hill Integrated Site Plan, an effort to enhance visitor experiences while improving wildlife habitat in the area. OSMP is also closing and revegetating undesignated trails to protect wildlife habitats and seeding grassland with native vegetation to benefit ground-nesting birds and other species. For more information on current trail closures, visit OSMPTrails.org.
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Photo credit denvergazette.com