News Flash

Ouray County News Flash Items

3 news items

  • Blue Lakes Visitor Use Management Plan Advances

    Blue Lakes Visitor Use Management Plan Advances
    The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests’ Ouray Ranger District will soon begin Phase 2 of the Blue Lakes Visitor Use Management Plan, following Phase 1 infrastructure and restoration work completed in 2025.
    Blue Lakes, an iconic destination in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness, draws an estimated 35,000 visits annually, resulting in crowding, vegetation loss, human-waste concerns and safety issues at trailheads. An adaptive management approach is needed to ensure this natural resource can be enjoyed for years to come.
    Phase 1 (2025) delivered trailhead and parking reconstruction, infrastructure upgrades, a new restroom and restoration at lower Blue Lake.
    Phase 2 (2026) anticipates a fee proposal, continued restoration work, implementation of new requirements for camping, food storage, and human waste, while advancing development of a limited-entry permit system.
    Phase 3 (2027) anticipates roll out of a limited-entry permit system for peak season, from June 1- September 30. 
    “Anyone who has visited Blue Lakes, or even seen photos, understands why we need to protect this area,” said Dana Gardunio, Ouray District Ranger. “We completed a lot of work in 2025. We improved parking, added a new restroom and restored several damaged areas. Phase 2 and Phase 3 are about maintaining that progress and the area’s natural beauty for generations to come.”
    The Phase 2 fee proposal and opportunities for public engagement are anticipated to be announced in the coming months. No fees are in place now, and no permits will be required before 2027.
    What visitors should know:
    New requirements will go into effect starting May 31 for the Mount Sneffels wilderness, including:
    Human waste must be packed out
    Bear-resistant, Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee approved food storage will be required
    Overnight group size will be limited to six people
    Camping will not be allowed at the middle and upper lakes
    In addition to these new requirements, visitors should also be aware of several existing rules that remain in place, including:
    Camps must be located at least 100 feet from trails and water
    Campfires are prohibited within the wilderness
    Overnight dispersed camping at the lower lake will still be available in 2026, but site availability will be limited. Many areas will remain temporarily cordoned off to allow restoration work to continue and to protect completed improvements. Crews will also be conducting restoration and trail realignment work throughout the season. Please respect these areas to prevent further resource damage and support successful recovery. 
    Visitors should familiarize themselves with these requirements and plan ahead, particularly for overnight camping with space being limited. Have a backup plan in case campsites are unavailable and check the GMUG alerts page for any additional closures or restrictions before visiting.
    Thank you for respecting these fragile areas and supporting the long-term health of the Blue Lakes basin. Updates will be posted on the GMUG website and official channels: https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/gmug

    Ouray County News Flash Items
    Posted on March 02, 2026 | Last Updated on March 02, 2026

  • News Release: Full-scale evacuation exercise planned for May 15

    NEWS RELEASE

     

    Feb 28, 2026

    Contact: Ouray County Emergency Management

    Phone: 970-325-7273 ext. 2

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 

    Ouray County, CO — Ouray County to Conduct Full-Scale Evacuation Exercise – May 15

    On May 15, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Ouray County will conduct a Countywide Full-Scale Evacuation Exercise. Residents can expect to see significant first responder activity in and around the Town of Ridgway during this time.

    This is only an exercise. There is no real emergency. 

    This exercise has been two years in the making. Ouray County developed a Countywide Multi-Jurisdictional Evacuation Plan and has progressively tested it to ensure it works under real-world conditions. The plan was reviewed and tested at the departmental level, followed by an agency-level tabletop exercise in early 2025. In November 2025, the plan was tested at a countywide multi-jurisdictional level through a tabletop exercise. The May 15 full-scale exercise is the final step in validating the plan in a realistic environment.

    Community Participation Opportunities 

    Ouray County residents are encouraged to participate. Participation does not require that the scenario take place in your neighborhood.

    Citizens may volunteer to serve as:

    • Evacuees

    • Injured evacuees

    • Individuals with access or functional needs

    • Family members searching for loved ones

    • General volunteers (roles will be assigned as needed)

    What Residents Should Expect

    During the exercise, residents may notice increased emergency vehicle traffic, simulated

    evacuations, traffic control points, shelter operations, and increased radio communications. Again, this is a planned training event.

    Preparedness Reminder

    Even if you are not participating in this exercise, living in Ouray County means being

    prepared for evacuation at any time. Wildfire, flood, hazardous materials incidents, and

    other emergencies can require residents to leave quickly.

    Residents are encouraged to:

    • Prepare a “Go Bag” with medications, important documents, clothing, chargers, and essential supplies

    • Maintain at least 72 hours of food and water

    • Keep vehicles fueled during high-risk seasons

    • Identify multiple evacuation routes from your area

    • Develop a communication plan with family members

    • Make plans for pets, livestock, and those with mobility or medical needs

    If you require additional time to evacuate or have access and functional needs, plan ahead. In a rural community with remote areas and limited resources, residents must be prepared to evacuate when conditions warrant and should not wait for someone to knock on their door.

    Ready, Set, Go Evacuation Model

    Ouray County uses the Ready, Set, Go! evacuation model:

    • Be Ready – Pre-Evacuation Readiness and Preparedness: Focuses on preparing residents for potential evacuation orders. Education emphasizes monitoring developing situations and preparing to evacuate.

    • Get Set – Activation of Voluntary Evacuation: Emphasis shifts to collecting materials, communicating plans to family members, and voluntarily evacuating for those with additional risk factors. Emergency procedures may include rerouting traffic, establishing detours, clearing traffic for EMS, and opening shelters.

    • Go Now! – Activation of Mandatory Evacuation: Mandatory evacuation orders are issued for areas at risk. Actions may include canvassing neighborhoods, assisting with evacuations as needed, and closing or securing hazardous areas. Mandatory evacuation is only directed when remaining in the area poses significant risk or danger to life.

    Preparedness is a shared responsibility. This exercise ensures that when the time comes, Ouray County is ready.

    ###

    Ouray County News Flash Items
    Posted on February 26, 2026

  • Baldy Mountain Landscape Resiliency & Habitat Improvement Project

    The Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests’ Ouray Ranger District, the Bureau of Land Management Uncompahgre Field Office, and partners are collaborating on the Baldy Mountain Landscape Resiliency and Habitat Improvement project in Ouray County.

    The goal of the Baldy Mountain Project is to restore the resiliency of the landscape for multiple species and the protection of wildland-urban interface. The exclusion of fire from the Baldy Project area has caused the unnatural buildup of fuels including dense shrubs and trees, reducing habitat effectiveness for multiple species and increasing the chance of high-severity fire.

    “This project allows us to conduct much-needed treatment in dead, dying, and overgrown stands at a more landscape scale, including areas within the wildland urban interface,” said Ouray District Ranger, Dana Gardunio. “This will enhance forest health and wildlife habitat as well as maintain fuel breaks important for public and firefighter safety.”

    The Bureau of Land Management Field Manager for the Uncompahgre Field Office, Suzanne Copping shared that, "the Baldy Mountain project has fostered collaboration across jurisdictional boundaries, enabling us to leverage staff expertise and financial resources with other agencies and private landowners to reduce hazardous fuel loads, support landscape resilience and improve public safety."

    Project Work

    Initial project activities will include mechanical and hand-crew treatments of brush and trees, which will be followed by prescribed burning. Some acres will see more than one treatment. This means there is an anticipated 4,368-acre footprint within the 6,104-acre project area. Implementation will span across agency and private lands and is anticipated to take up to 5 years to complete.

    Implementation is scheduled to begin summer of 2023 on the north end of the project area with mechanical and hand crew treatments. Treatments will improve big game habitat and prepare the area for future prescribed burning. The focus will shift to the improvement of bighorn sheep habitat and fuel reductions in the wildland-urban interface as treatments shift to the south end. The earliest any prescribed burning would occur in 2024.

    Partners

    The project has been closely coordinated with the GMUG National Forests, the BLM, Mullin’s Ranch, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Ouray County, Colorado State Forest Service, West Region Fire Council, and private landowners.

    The project is being supported by Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation, and Colorado Parks and Wildlife Habitat Partnership Program. Ouray County Commissioners have given their support for the project and its alignment with the Community Wildfire Protection Plan.

    The National Forest Foundation is a key coordination partner for the project. We will work closely with the partners to fundraise and build capacity for implementation and expand collaboration and communication with partners, landowners, and community members that will support mutual goals of shared stewardship.

    These partnerships allow the agencies and the public to consider the whole landscape from multiple perspectives and not limit activities to jurisdictional boundaries.

    Ouray County News Flash Items
    Posted on August 18, 2024