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Fort Collins, Colo., (Mar. 6, 2024) – The Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests continues working towards implementation of the 2019 Recreational Sport Shooting Management Decision, which identified unsuitable areas for recreational shooting on National Forest System lands. These closures are contingent on target ranges being constructed in certain geographic areas to provide for safe shooting opportunities where dispersed opportunities are limited. Implementation of these closures is also contingent on the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act.
Currently, the Devil’s Nose Target Range on the Clear Creek Ranger District is under construction with an expected opening date in summer 2024. The Clear Creek Shooting Sports Park is currently under development with construction anticipated to be completed in 2025. Once these ranges open, closures will begin in their associated geographic areas, as outlined in the 2019 Decision. Devil’s Nose opening will also initiate closures in Grand County and northern Larimer County where many dispersed recreational shooting opportunities still remain.
“Getting these ranges built is a full-circle moment for the Northern Front Range Recreational Sport Shooting Management Partnership.” Forest Supervisor Monte Williams said. “So much collaboration has taken place to get us to this point to improve public safety while creating new, developed recreational shooting opportunities.”
The intent of these closures is to protect public safety by improving management of recreational shooting. They are a result of more than a decade of a unique federal, state, and county partnership aimed to carefully consider and balance all Forest user needs and access, while also prioritizing public safety. Details of the project, including the analysis and final decision are available online.
When fully implemented, the 226,113 acres identified as unsuitable for recreational shooting will be closed within the five geographic areas. The first closure occurs when Devil’s Nose opens. At that point, 94,900 acres will be closed in southern Clear Creek, northern Larimer and Grand counties. When the Clear Creek Shooting Sports Park opens in 2025, an additional 46,195 acres in northern Clear Creek and Gilpin counties will close. Detailed information on these closures will be made available as the ranges open. The Forest will follow the same process, with public comment, for the remaining two geographic areas in Boulder and southern Larimer counties when an additional two ranges are built.
These recreational shooting closure orders have completed the process outlined in the John D. Dingell, Jr. Conservation, Management, and Recreation Act. A comment period for the recreational shooting closure order took place May 5 – July 3, 2023, in accordance with the Dingell Act requirements for these types of orders. The Forest received nine comments from eight respondents. The Forest Service previously analyzed these issues during the environmental assessment. The response to comments is available on the Forest website.
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