Staff and volunteers celebrate a successful day removing old fencing from Snowmass Falls.

What do Glassier, Sky Mountain Park, Filoha Meadows, Redstone Boulders, and North Star Nature Preserve have in common?

Each of these Pitkin County open spaces was once shaped by the rhythms of ranching and farming. Fences crisscrossed the Roaring Fork and Crystal River Valleys to manage livestock and mark property lines, and were considered a staple of rural life when Colorado’s “fence-out” law made it the landowner’s responsibility to keep cattle off their property. That law remains in place, as do many fencelines still used for ranching and grazing across public and private lands. Nevertheless, times change, landowners change, and priorities change. Today, some fences tell a new story: one of restoration, reconnection, and shared stewardship.

This summer, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails, with the help of volunteers from Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers and Wilderness Workshop, removed nearly 25,000 feet of obsolete barbed and welded wire fencing from open spaces. That’s almost 5 miles of old fencing that was no longer relevant. It also equates to 2,427 pounds (1.2 tons) of metal that was hauled out by hand and taken to the Pitkin County Solid Waste Center for recycling. 

Redstone Territory: Filoha Meadows and Redstone Boulders

The Crystal River Valley has long been a place where people and nature intersect. At Filoha Meadows Nature Preserve, the history runs deep, from the Ute people who camped near its hot springs to the ranchers and miners who followed. 

The livestock fencing that had meandered through the meadows and river corridor since the 1940s was mostly removed long ago to preserve the property’s ecological integrity and provide unobstructed access for elk and bighorn sheep. In 2024, staff conducted stewardship projects at Filoha and identified several sections of fencing that were still in place and could be addressed in the 2025 fence removal initiative. 

Just up the river at Redstone Boulders Open Space, volunteers helped remove more than 1,200 feet of densely tangled, overgrown fencing from a long-abandoned homestead near East Creek Trailhead. The cleanup created better access for bears, elk, and deer that use the drainage as a main movement route. 

Basalt Homestead: Glassier Open Space

Like other historic farming operations in our region, the first settlers in Basalt strung miles of wire to protect the original homestead, which included pastures, potato fields, and water sources. 

Open Space and Trails’ seasonal natural resource staff removed 2,300 feet of fence on an upland hillside within Glassier Open Space this year. This is an area that few people are aware of, and a seasonal recreation closure highlights the importance of this area for wintering wildlife. 

Snowmass Village: Sky Mountain Park

Near Snowmass Village, Sky Mountain Park was once divided by livestock fencing that marked pasture boundaries. Since volunteers and staff rolled up their sleeves to pull 4,185 feet of old barbed wire near Ditchline Trail, a continuous habitat corridor now exists, allowing elk, deer, and foxes to pass freely between ridgelines.

Aspen: North Star Nature Preserve

At the upper end of the valley, North Star Nature Preserve has become one of Pitkin County’s most iconic wildlife sanctuaries, providing a rich habitat for moose, elk, and migratory birds. This summer, staff discovered and then deconstructed sections of welded wire from an old corral tucked into the aspens. North Star’s journey from a natural wetland to a working ranch and hayfield, and then to reclaiming its wild nature, is a living reflection of how Open Space and Trails continues to care for and reconnect the landscapes that make this valley so special.

“After seeing firsthand how wildlife can be harmed by old wire fencing, I’m driven to remove unnecessary fence on our open spaces so animals can move freely across the landscape. In the spirit of shared land use, we follow [Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s] wildlife-friendly fence standards and incorporate innovative practices whenever we do need fencing on Open Space,” said Liza Mitchell, Natural Resource Manager with Pitkin County Open Space and Trails. 

*Learn more about Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s Wildlife-friendly fencing guidelines. 

A Community Effort

This work would not be possible without our partners and volunteers. Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers, celebrating 30 years of community stewardship, mobilized dozens of community members who spent their free time clearing obstacles for wildlife and caring for our natural environment. 

As Open Space and Trails continues to balance recreation, heritage, and habitat, every coil of reclaimed barbed wire tells the same story — one of progress, care, and connection.

To learn more or to get notified about how to volunteer for projects next year, contact Roaring Fork Outdoor Volunteers.

– By Jami McMannes, Pitkin County Open Space and Trails

Old wooden fence posts are all that remain in this North Star area after barbed wire was removed to allow safer movement for wildlife.