State Forest State Park announces trail closures for Michigan Ditch Mitigation project
Rachael GonzalesNorthwest Region Public Information Officer
970-773-8587 / [email protected]
State Forest State Park announces trail closures for Michigan Ditch Mitigation project
July 9, 2026
WALDEN, Colo. — On Monday, July 13, Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) will close the Michigan Ditch Trail and segments of the American Lakes Trail to all users through late fall. The closures are in place for public safety while work on the Michigan Ditch Pre-Fire Mitigation Project is being completed in the Michigan Ditch drainage by Colorado State Forest Service and the City of Fort Collins.
“We want to thank our visitors for their understanding over the past two years while the closures of these two very popular trails have been in place,” said State Forest State Park Manager Ryan Crabb.
For those looking for similar hikes, park staff recommends Ruby Jewel or Hidden Valley trails as alternative hiking options.
“State Forest is a popular year-round destination for day and multi-day adventures. One of the many great things about State Forest is if one trail is closed, there are so many other options to pick from,” said Crabb.
For a complete list of trails at State Forest State Park, visitors are encouraged to check out the State Forest State Park Trail Map or download the COTREX app for detailed information on each route so you can find the right trail for you.
To learn more about the Michigan Ditch Mitigation project, contact the Colorado State Forest Service or the City of Fort Collins.
For more information on current trail closures, recreation, and camping opportunities at State Forest State Park, contact the park’s visitor center at 970-723-8366 or visit our website.
For more information and updates on the project, visit the Colorado State Forest Service website.
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Colorado is home to world-class state parks, more than 960 species of wildlife and 23 million acres of public lands, ranging from wetlands to forests, canyon landscapes to mountain lakes. Join us in keeping Colorado wild for just $29. Learn more about the Keep Colorado Wild Pass at cpw.info/keepcoloradowildpass.
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PHOTO CUTLINE:
Map of Colorado State Forest closure area for the Michigan Ditch Mitigation Project.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
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