'Iconic postcard views': County to offer tours of former Heaven's Door Ranch property

Larimer County will offer staff-guided tours to the Blue Mountain property, formerly known as Heaven’s Door Ranch, starting this summer. The county bought the 1,547-acre property for $9 million in 2022 and said it was a cornerstone of its conservation strategy — connecting already conserved lands in the area.

While walking along the foothills of the Rockies on Thursday morning, commissioner Jody Shadduck-McNally said she was grateful for the opportunity to preserve the “iconic postcard views.”

“Not only is this about public access and having the ability to have people get outside, which I really think there's a strong connection between … mental health and getting out in nature … but also, we have these wetlands, there’s important watershed protections here,” Shadduck-McNally said.

The commissioner also mentioned the connection between forest health, air quality and climate.

Shadduck-McNally said the roots of the land will be evaluated to assign it a proper name, including talking to people who lived there for several generations and looking into the land's Indigenous connections.

The management planning for the property that will “help determine future public access and associated improvements” will start in 2026, according to a county news release. The public access facilities, which could include trailheads and shelters, will start construction around 2027 for a tentative opening in 2030.

“We look forward to engaging the community throughout each phase of the process,” said Daylan Figgs, director of the Natural Resources Department, in the news release.

Meanwhile, the county removed a former residence and some outbuildings that were out of building code compliance and obstructed the views, said Meegan Flenniken, a manager at the Department of Natural Resources.

The county sold, repurposed and recycled 53 tons of material — saving over $14,000 in “haul-off costs” by diverting resources from the county landfill.

The deconstruction project was also used to teach building trades for 60 high school students through the National Center for Craftsmanship.

The plan is to restore the building footprint to its native habitat.

“Additional activities underway on-site include removing non-native Russian olive trees, treating noxious weeds, developing forest management plans and conducting resource inventories,” the release said.

Russian olive trees, for example, can outcompete native species and suck up water.

Great Outdoors Colorado, which invests in conservation and recreation projects, awarded the county a $1.5 million grant to replenish its open space coffers and said in a recent news release that the purchase “was a milestone moment as the region faces a growing population, development pressure, and demands for more public recreation. The property boasts diverse wildlife habitats for elk, pronghorn, mule deer, birds, black bears, mountain lions, bobcats, and more.”

The county also shared an update on the next property that will open to the public. Chimney Hollow Open Space is an 1,847-acre property west of Carter Lake. The county is beginning its management plan and will seek feedback from the community this spring.

“Chimney Hollow Open Space will expand recreation access in Larimer County by offering wakeless water-based opportunities and trail-based access," the county said in the news release. It will have about 10-12 miles of natural surface trails, with the public opening "tentatively slated for 2027," the county said.

This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Larimer County to offer public tours of Blue Mountain property