Pawnee Grassland

[Mad Maxx]

Hey folks! I'd love to get out and do a safe, easy trail, and Pawnee looks like a great place for it, though I'm open to other suggestions as well.

I'm free Wednesday and pretty much any day thereafter this week and weekend.

Any interest?

[Tom]

Iirc lots of pawnee trails are closed in the spring due to raptor nesting. I would double check routes.

If you have something firm in mind I might be interested.

[Mad Maxx]

I'm not seeing any closures of trails there on the forest service website and on some trail websites. Do you know where I could find out for sure?

[Jim]

I might be interested.

As for the closure, I found this regarding the Pawnee Buttes trail:

https://trails.colorado.gov/routes/31
Please do not disturb any hawks and falcons nesting in the rocky cliffs. The Pawnee Buttes trail is open year round; however, there is a nearby closure from March 1 – June 30 to protect any nesting raptors. To clearly understand what is closed, check this map (https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd541784.pdf). Please stay on the main trail during this time as adults may desert their eggs or young birds if disturbed.

Curious, opening the map, my take is that the trail is _between_ the closure areas and not included in the closure - what say ye? edit - and now, properly reading the closure statement is that the trail is open year round. Now, this is the buttes hiking trail and not a 4x4 trail. I have yet to hike the buttes trail - it's on a low burn todo list.

[Tom]

I might be interested.

As for the closure, I found this regarding the Pawnee Buttes trail:

https://trails.colorado.gov/routes/31
Please do not disturb any hawks and falcons nesting in the rocky cliffs. The Pawnee Buttes trail is open year round; however, there is a nearby closure from March 1 – June 30 to protect any nesting raptors. To clearly understand what is closed, check this map (https://www.fs.usda.gov/Internet/FSE_DOCUMENTS/fseprd541784.pdf). Please stay on the main trail during this time as adults may desert their eggs or young birds if disturbed.

Curious, opening the map, my take is that the trail is _between_ the closure areas and not included in the closure - what say ye? edit - and now, properly reading the closure statement is that the trail is open year round. Now, this is the buttes hiking trail and not a 4x4 trail. I have yet to hike the buttes trail - it's on a low burn todo list.
I believe that's the closure I recall. Was thinking it was a 4x4 trail. Jim I walked some of it years ago. Fun but nothing spectacular.

[Jim]

There's this OHV area - but it's for 50" or less in width:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Main+Draw+OHV+Area/@40.9020233,-104.6263776,658m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x876ee732ed7e2dad:0xf a1a502f74c96d39!8m2!3d40.9020229!4d-104.6241841

I've driven the western grasslands a fair bit - Sunday drives with either the jeep or the Accord (often searching for a nice target shooting spot that's quiet). I've not driven too much on the eastern section.

I do not know of any "trails" but there are a fair bit of "remote" roads - some with some old foundations or working windmills filling tubs with water for livestock. The area is a mix of public & private so the MVUM is handy to know which is which - it's a checkerboard.

[Jim]

MVUM's

UncoverColorado.com

Pawnee West
https://www.uncovercolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AR-Pawnee-West-2011.pdf

Pawnee East
https://www.uncovercolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AR-Pawnee-East-2011.pdf
(https://www.uncovercolorado.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/AR-Pawnee-East-2011.pdf)

AvenzaMaps.com

Pawnee West
https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/70786/pawnee-national-grassland-west-mvum

Pawnee East
https://www.avenzamaps.com/maps/70785/pawnee-national-grassland-east-mvum

[Tom]

Couple of trails/routes listed on trails offroad

https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/2118-pawnee-grasslands-willow-creek-loop

https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/2224-pawnee-grasslands-reservoir-loop


I forgot its a 1.5 hour drive for me one way. Bit far when we are supposed to be staying at home. Damn a dilemma.

[Mad Maxx]

I've never been up there. I've got the .GPX files for all the free trails on Trailsoffroad - Willow Creek Loop, Grasslands Reservoir Loop, and Murphy Reservoir, but there's a few more paywalled ones that I cannot find.

B Roll Offroad posted a couple on his YouTube channel recently.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vl_YYhAazo4
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRAy1rza1l0

I'll probably just do up to those three, probably starting with Willow Creek Loop for no particular reason. Looks like Rd 116 - https://goo.gl/maps/1ACtkovTC1kwbB7t6
Though since you guys seem more familiar with the area, I'd happily follow wherever.

In case y'all want to come along, what days work best?

[Jim]

Another thing you can search for - active missile silo sites. They are not much to look at but you can drive close by a few of'm.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/90th_Missile_Wing_LGM-30_Minuteman_Missile_Launch_Sites


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/321st_Missile_Squadron_-_ALL.png

[Jim]

what days work best?

Can't tomorrow but otherwise - no pref aside from avoiding the upcoming rain.

[newracer]

Another thing you can search for - active missile silo sites. They are not much to look at but you can drive close by a few of'm.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/90th_Missile_Wing_LGM-30_Minuteman_Missile_Launch_Sites


https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5a/321st_Missile_Squadron_-_ALL.png

I have been to most of those as well as the ones in NE and WY.

[Jim]

I have been to most of those as well as the ones in NE and WY.

May one walk up to the fence or is that not wise (before getting to the fence)?

[newracer]

I would advise you don't even drive down the access road that goes to the site. Definitely do not get out of your vehicle and walk up to the fence. Nothing may happen but there is a good chance something will, you may be visited by a couple of dark blue Suburbans or even a helicopter. There really isn't much to see, with a good set of binoculars you can see everything from a distance.

[Tom]

Can't tomorrow but otherwise - no pref aside from avoiding the upcoming rain.
Any day would be fine by me: retired. That said I probably won’t due to distance.

[Jim]

I probably won’t due to distance.

Leave early. Drive 40MPH max - you'll get AT LEAST 70MPG. Yep, I read it on the Internet.

[Mad Maxx]

I just posted it for tomorrow so we can beat the weather coming later this week. Also because I'm excited to get out there. :D

[Jim]

Mark - are you driving up 25 or 85? I assume I-25. Would you wish to meet at Noon at the gas station or Micky-D's at the southeast corner of I-25 and CO-14?