Hiker count may be limited to 40 per day on stunning Colorado trail

A major change could be coming for the beloved Blue Lakes trail in Southwest Colorado, limiting hiker access to only 40 people per day plus a maximum of 24 campers in four designated sites.

The change, in response to increased foot traffic over the past decade, is part of a larger Blue Lakes Visitor Use Management Plan that dates back to April 2022, when a scoping period for the project was started. The plan has since allowed for a commenting period and the Forest Service is currently in a phase of accepting objections before a final decision on the plan is set to be made around the start of June. If the final draft of the proposal is approved, the most recent estimation for implementation is no sooner than the summer of 2025, with 2026 being more likely.

Local news source Montrose Press reports that nearly 35,000 can visit the trail each year under the current situation. Even if a total of 64 hikers and campers were visiting the area under the new plan every day of the year – which would be unlikely during winter months – the number of allowed annual visitors would likely be cut to less than 24,000. It's also worth noting that the daily visitor cap of 64 would only be hit if each of the four campsites had the maximum guest capacity of six people present.

Another important note is that the permit season for day and overnight use is set to be in place from June 1 to September 30, with visitation demand dropping off fast outside of those dates.

The goals of the change would be to give the area a chance to recover from the impacts of increased traffic and to preserve the serene and secluded experience that the area can provide.

While no change has been made official quite yet, this proposal will be something to watch during weeks and months to come.

Official documents related to this project can be found here and an in-depth report of the situation from the Montrose Press can be found here.