A trail is being built through Tolland Ranch that will provide a connection between West Magnolia and Jenny Creek Trail.
Tolland Ranch Trail
Construction
Timberline TrailCraft began construction of the Tolland Ranch Trail in July 2021 and has completed roughly two miles of trail tread. Volunteers from Nederland-based Teens, Inc., along with crews from Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado, have constructed nearly a mile of trail at the western connection near Jenny Creek.
Construction will continue in the summer seasons of 2022 and 2023. The trail is currently expected to open in Spring 2024.
Collaboration with Gilpin County, Eldora Mountain Resort, and the U.S. Forest Service continues to ensure that all agreements and facilities are in place to support the use and management of the trail once it opens to the public.
The 5-mile trail will provide a connection between West Magnolia and Jenny Creek Trail.
Location
The trail will be approximately 5.3 miles in length and provide a connection between two public trails on US Forest Service (USFS) lands. The West Magnolia trail system is located east of Tolland Ranch and the Jenny Creek Trail is located west of Tolland Ranch. This connectivity will link trail users traveling from West Magnolia to the Continental Divide and into Winter Park.
Eldora Mountain Resort (Eldora) is located north of Tolland Ranch. The resort leases land from the Toll family that is part of the larger conservation easement where many of their Nordic trails are located.
The eastern section of the trail is planned to begin at the western end of the Schoolbus Trail (“Social 23” on USFS map), which is part of the West Magnolia system. Consistent with the easement, a gate or other control feature will be located here to close the trail to use in the winter when Eldora is open. Proceeding west, the trail will climb the northeastern aspect of Buckeye Mountain to a ridge.
The middle section of the trail is located below and along a ridge between Buckeye Mountain and the Blackhills Mine. It affords magnificent views to Tolland itself, Mammoth Gulch, James Peak, and other prominent features along the Divide.
The western section of the trail descends toward the Blackhills Mine and then northwest into Deadman’s Gulch, located in Eldora’s Nordic area. From Deadman’s Gulch, the trail will join up with the Jenny Creek Trail.
Thanks
Parks & Open Space would like to thank and acknowledge the Toll family for their on-going partnership. Without their support and assistance, this trail connection across their property would not be possible. The value of the family’s legacy of stewardship of Tolland Ranch and the South Boulder Creek parkland area is immeasurable.
Parks & Open Space would also like to acknowledge and thank Eldora Mountain Resort for their continued partnership in helping to make the Tolland Ranch Trail a reality.
Schedule
Construction of the trail will continue when ground conditions are favorable. It is expected to take several summer seasons to complete the work and the trail will hopefully open in the spring of 2024.
Funding
Boulder County received a Colorado the Beautiful grant and a significant donation from the estate of Mike O’Brien.
June 2021 Update
An update on the project was presented to the Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee on June 24, 2021.
Update starts at 2:58
History
In January 2015, Boulder County acquired a public trail easement across Tolland Ranch. At the time, Boulder County had partnered with the Colorado State Forest Service and Great Outdoors Colorado, with coordination by The Conservation Fund, to acquire a larger conservation easement of approximately 3,334 acres of the property from the Toll family. The majority of the property is located immediately south of Boulder County in Gilpin County and includes a segment of South Boulder Creek between the East Portal and the Peak to Peak Highway.
Presentation
On April 26, 2018, staff gave an update to the Parks & Open Space Advisory Committee on the status of the Tolland Ranch Trail and other trail projects.