It’s been nearly a year since the Crested Butte Land Trust took ownership of the southern portion of Long Lake and as we continue to take care of this cherished recreational resource in the Gunnison Valley, we’ve brought together a group of stakeholders to work on short- and long-term solutions to better manage recreational use and conservation values at Long Lake. This multi-stakeholder partnership includes our neighboring owners of the northern section of Long Lake, the Allen Family Ranch; nearby homeowners associations; Gunnison County; the Upper Gunnison River Water Conservancy District; and Colorado Parks and Wildlife.

Long Lake has experienced a significant increase in use over the past several years and with that has come greater impacts to the surrounding land and trails. As we work together in the coming months, we’ll be looking at ways to eliminate erosion and resource damage caused by people wandering off trail as well as the prevention of trespassing onto neighboring private property. This summer you can expect to see some changes that will help protect this community treasure from the impacts of unmanaged recreation.  We will continue to keep our community informed as the planning process unfolds.

Please remember that Long Lake is private open space, and we’re fortunate to have the partnership with these stakeholders willing to help us manage this unique jewel for all to enjoy.

See you out on the trail!

Photo Credit: Jerry Clark