Mesa Land Trust Three Sisters Park Plan

PLANNING STRATEGIES for

THREE SISTERS PARK

August 21, 2012

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Table of Contents1 Introduction.......................................................................................................................................1-2 1.1 Project Purpose and Vision 1.2 Mesa Land Trust Goals 1.3 Purpose of Document 1.4 Context for Site Management

2 Trail Development Process............................................................................................................3

3 Educational Opportunities............................................................................................................4 3.1 Interpreting the Three Sisters

4 Planning Strategies ........................................................................................................................4-6 4.1 Four Areas of Visitor Experience 4.2 Restoration

5 Visitor Experience Site Plan..........................................................................................................7 6 Issues, Opportunities, & Recommendations...........................................................................8-14 6.1 Planning Process & Logistics 6.2 Access 6.3 Trail Users 6.4 Neighbors & Private Property 6.5 Education 6.6 Connectivity to Existing & Future Trails 6.7 Natural Resources & Site Features

7 Other Issues.......................................................................................................................................15

8 Resources............................................................................................................................................15

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Planning Strategies for Three Sisters Park 1

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 PROJECT PURPOSE AND VISION

Three rounded peaks overlook the City of Grand Junction and beckon people to explore the public lands and network of multi-use trails right outside their door. In order to ensure that the Three Sisters are protected for the enjoyment of future generations, Mesa Land Trust has worked tirelessly with its partners to purchase this unique 130 acre property. Mesa Land Trust transferred ownership to the City of Grand Junction so that the property will serve as public open space. Adjacent to the Tabeguache Trailhead and the popular Lunch Loop Trails, the new Three Sisters Park will provide residents and visitors to Grand Junction with a network of new multi-use trails through a unique open space.

1.2 MESA LAND TRUST GOALS FOR THE PROJECT

The Mesa Land Trust developed the following five goals to help guide a plan for the development of recreation amenities at the new Three Sisters Park:

PROJECT VISION

The future Three Sisters Park represents a rare opportunity to expand and diversify outdoor recreation for residents and visitors to Grand Junction. Trails and other recreation amenities planned for the property will be family friendly and offer options for pedestrian users and mountain bikers. Recreation opportunities will support a diverse population of visitors and will help to protect, restore and maintain the natural resources of the site . The protection of Three Sisters is also a vital link in the future construction of a paved muti-use trail that will link the Colorado Riverfront Trail and the City of Grand Junction to Monument Road, the Lunch Loop Trail System, and a possible future trail connection to Colorado National Monument. As part of a large network of public lands accessible by trail from the urban center of Grand Junction, Three Sister Park will provide the community with an extraordinary opportunity to access public lands via non-motorized transportation, connect with nature, and enjoy a healthy active lifestyle.

Protect viewshed along Monument Road, the gateway to the East Entrance of the Colorado National Monument.

Improve bike access from town to Lunch Loop Trail network.

Increase family friendly/beginner trails at Lunch Loop.

Expand capacity of Lunch Loop by providing additional access points and creating new trails.

Develop environmental education opportunities on Three Sisters property.

Developing more family friendly trails is an important goal for the planning and design of recreation opportunities for Three Sisters Park (Photo courtesy of Mesa Land Trust).

2 Alta Planning + Design

1.3 PURPOSE OF THIS REPORT

The purpose of this report is to provide the Mesa Land Trust with a framework for developing unique visitor experiences for Three Sisters Park that balance recreation with preservation and restoration. This report was preceded by a series of stakeholder meetings in which Mesa Land Trust (MLT) and project planners (Alta Planning + Design) spoke directly to stakeholders about their hopes and concerns for the project. Stakeholders include the City of Grand Junction, Mesa County, Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Colorado Plateau Mountain Bike Association (COPMOBA), Neighbors and Equestrian Users, and Trail Advocates. A record of these conversations was delivered to MLT in a previous report and the results of the issues and opportunities identified by stakeholders is included in Section 5 of this document.

Coinciding with this planning process, Rare Earth Science was contracted to complete a baseline survey of the Three Sisters Property. The baseline study documents the existing natural resources associated with the property and also identifies existing conditions associated with past human use such as trails and roads. The results of the baseline study have been used to identity the location of specific points and topics for educational opportunities (interpretation) across the site. Recommendations from the baseline study should be consulted in conjunction with recommendations provided in this document.

1.4 CONTEXT FOR SITE MANAGEMENT

The ecological context for management of the Three Sisters is set by the Baseline Study (completed by Rare Earth Science, LLC in April of 2012.) This Baseline documents plant and wildlife, natural resources, the geologic characteristics, opportunities for outdoor recreation and education, and the benefits of open public space on Three Sisters. The Baseline will be used to assist in determining trail placement, location of structures, and educational features.

The Mesa Land Trust purchased the Three Sisters property, deeded it to the City of Grand Junction and reserved a conservation easement for the property. This easement will ensure that the Conservation Values of the property are preserved and protected in perpetuity and that the property is open to the public. The Conservation Values of the Three Sisters are the natural, scenic, open space, wildlife habitat and recreational resources.

The Reservation of Deed of Conservation Easement outlines permitted uses of the property that will not substantially diminish or impair any of the Conservation Values. Permitted uses include non-motorized recreational and educational uses. The Easement also requires the creation of a Management Plan which will be approved by Mesa Land Trust, the City of Grand Junction, and other interested parties as designated by the City and Land Trust. This document will serve as both the Management Plan and the Park Development Plan.

The City of Grand Junction and the BLM will act as operational managers of the Three Sisters property, as they already manage cooperatively the Lunch Loop area. A Memorandum of Understanding between the City and the BLM will define this partnership and delineate responsibilities among both parties for the operational management of the property.

Site improvements and any development that occurs on the property, including trail construction, educational facilities, signs, etc. will require written approval by the Mesa Land Trust in accordance with the Conservation Easement. Furthermore, as holder of the Conservation Easement, Mesa Land Trust will steward the Three Sisters property to ensure that maintenance of the property meets the Conservation Easement guidelines. The types of site improvements and itemized restrictions on the use and development of the property are outlined in the Conservation Easement.

View of the Three Sisters looking east towards Grand Junction. Mesa Land Trust and the community of Grand Junction worked tirelessly to save these iconic ladies from development (Photo courtesy of Mesa Land Trust).

Three Sisters Park is home to colorful wildlife like this collared lizard (Photo courtesy of Mesa Land Trust).

Like at Lunch Loop, the City of Grand Junction and the BLM will act as operational managers of the Three Sisters property (Photo courtesy of Mesa Land Trust).


2 TRAIL DEVELOPMENT PROCESS

BLM Trail Design Criteria: Grand Junction Field OfficeThe following criteria are used to determine suitable locations for new trails and trail reroutes within the Grand Junction Field Office management area. This docu-ment utilizes terminology from the “Recommended Standardized Trail Terminol-ogy for Use in Colorado.” (COTI 2005)

These criteria are to be followed as guidelines. Not all of the criteria can be met on every segment of every trail. Their purpose is to help create sustainable, low maintenance trails that provide quality recreation experiences based on prede-termined trail management objectives (TMOs). Specialty trails requiring higher maintenance may be allowed in appropriate locations.

1. Know and understand trail management objectives. TMO’s provide the frame-work for what the trail will look like, who will be using the trail, and how the trail will be managed. Different TMO’s may allow different applications of the criteria below. 2. Create loops and avoid dead end trails. All trails should begin and end at a trailhead or another trail. A well-planned stacked loop trail system offers recre-ationists a variety of trail options. Easier, shorter loops are arranged close to the trailhead, with longer, more challenging loops extending further beyond the trail-head. Occasionally, destination trails to a point of interest will require an out and back trail, but only if they cannot be reasonably incorporated into a loop.

3. Identify control points and use them to guide trail design and layout. Control points are specific places or features that influence where the trail goes. Basic control points include the beginning and end of the trail, property boundaries, intersections, drainage crossings, locations for turns, and other trails.

Positive control points are places where you want users to visit, including scenic over-looks, historic sites, waterfalls, rock outcroppings, lakes, rivers and other natural fea-tures or points of interest. If the trail does not incorporate these features, users will likely create unsustainable social trails to get to them.

Negative control points are places you want users to avoid, such as low-lying wet areas, flat ground, extremely steep cross slopes or cliffs, unstable soils, environmentally sensi-tive areas, sensitive archaeological sites, safety hazards, and private property.

Knowing these control points provides a design framework. Try to connect the positive control points while avoiding the negative control points.

4. Use cross slope and avoid flat ground whenever possible. The trail tread should generally run perpendicular to the cross slope and should utilize frequent grade reversals. This is the best way to keep water off the trail. Use curvilinear design principles to create a trail that follows the natural contours of the topography, sheds water, blends with the surrounding terrain, and provides fun recreation op-portunities.

The following grade guidelines will help determine appropriate tread loca-tions.

The Half Rule: “A trail’s grade shouldn’t exceed half the grade of the hillside or sides-lope (cross slope) that the trail traverses. If the grade does exceed half the sideslope, it’s considered a fall-line trail. Water will flow down a fall-line trail rather than run across it. For example, if you’re building across a hillside with a (cross slope) of 20 percent, the trail-tread grade should not exceed 10 percent.” (IMBA 2004) Steeper cross slopes allow more flexibility for sustainable tread grades while flat or low angle cross slopes can be problematic. There is an upper limit to this rule. Sustaining a 24 percent tread grade, even on a 50 percent cross slope is unlikely. Additionally, trail segments may break this rule on durable tread surfaces such as solid rock.

The Ten Percent Average Guideline: The average trail grade over the length of the trail should be 10 percent or less for greatest sustainability. Short sections of the trail may exceed this, but the overall grade should remain at 10 percent or less.

Maximum Sustainable Grade: This is the upper grade limit for those short trail segments that push the limits of the previous two guidelines. It is determined by a site-specific analysis based on TMO’s, environmental conditions, and observations of existing trails – what’s working, and what’s not?

Grade Reversals: Frequent changes in the direction of tread grade (gentle up and down undulations) will ensure that water is forced off the trail at frequent intervals.

5. Locate trails in stable soils. Avoid clays, deep loam and soils that do not drain rapidly. Consider season of use and type of use. A trail on a south aspect will have greater usability and sustainability for winter use. The capabilities of mo-torized vehicles to function in wet/muddy conditions make it imperative to avoid unstable or poorly drained soils. Trails that are less likely to be used when wet may be located in less-desirable soils if necessary. In western Colorado’s arid environment, the best soil conditions for trails are those with high rock content. Utilize slick rock for trail tread when possible. Sand is acceptable in dry washes, but otherwise avoid sand.

6. Drainage crossings are key control points and should be selected carefully. Consider both the trail’s impact on the drainage (erosion and sedimentation), and the drainage’s impact on the trail (changing tread surface, water channeling onto trail). The trail should descend into and climb out of the drainage to pre-vent water from flowing down the trail. Avoid long or steep entries into drainag-es. Design grade reversals into the trail on each side of the approach to minimize water and sediment entering from the trail. Look for drainage crossings on rock.

7. Dry washes can be excellent travel ways. They are well defined, contain noise, and are periodically resurfaced by flowing water. As long as the wash does not support riparian vegetation and has no major safety problems, like water falls, they are well suited to be part of a recreational trail system.

8. Avoid switchbacks. Switchbacks are difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to construct, and require regular maintenance. Users often cut them, causing avoidable impacts. Utilizing curvilinear design principles eliminates the need for most switchbacks. Climbing turns are easier to construct and maintain and utilize natural terrain features (benches, knolls, rock outcrops) to change the di-rection of a trail.

9. Avoid ridge tops. Ridge tops are often primary transportation corridors for wildlife, and were often used by Native Americans as travel routes. Noise from ridge top trails is broadcast over a wide area. Locate trails on side hills, off ridge tops, using ridges and watersheds as natural sound barriers to isolate noise.

10. Use vegetation and other natural features to conceal the trail and absorb noise. This can be difficult in a desert environment. Try to minimize the visual impact of the trail by following natural transitions in vegetation or soil type. A trail near the base of a sideslope or on rimrock is usually less visible than a mid-slope trail. Denser vegetation will hide a trail, lessen noise transmis-sion, and can dissipate the energy of falling raindrops on the bare soil of the trail tread.

11. Carefully design intersections to avoid safety problems. When locating a bicycle or motorized vehicle trail be aware of sighting distance and sight lines. Collisions can be avoided if rid-ers can see each other. Avoid four way intersections. Offsetting the cross traffic helps reduce speeds and reduces the risk of col-lisions.

Sources:

Off Highway Motorcycle and ATV Trails: Wernex,2nd edition, American Motorcycle Assoc. 1994

Off Highway Vehicle Trail and Road Grading Equipment, Va-chowski, Maier, USDA Forest Service Missoula 9Technology and development Center 1998 Doc# 7E72A49

Mountain Bike Trails: Techniques for design, construction and Maintenance, McCoy Stoner, USDA Forest Service, Missoula Tech-nology and Development Center

Recommended Standardized Trail Terminology for Use in Colo-rado, Colorado Outdoor Training Initiative (COTI). 2005

Tractor Techniques for Trailbed restoration, Hamilton, USDA For-est Service 1994

Trails 2000, Lockwood USDA Forest Service 1994

Trail Construction and Maintenance Handbook, Hesselbarth, Va-chowski, USDA Forest Service (4E42A25-Trail Notebook) 2004

Trail Solutions, IMBA’s Guide to Building Sweet Singletrack, Inter-national Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) 2004.

USDA Forest Service Travel Management Handbook, FS 2309.18

In addition to respecting the property’s natural and cultural resources, trails designed and constructed for Three Sisters Park will utilize the following trail design criteria developed by the Bureau of Land Management’s (BLM) Grand Junction Field Office. MLT will approve all trail alignment based on BLM criteria, results of the baseline study, and recommendations outlined in this document.

4 PLANNING STRATEGIES

AREA 1:VIEWSHED PROTECTIONType of Visitor Experience:Protect view from road for motorists and cyclists traveling southwest and northeast on Monument Road. Recreation provided in this area is minimal.

Type of Facilities:Paved or Unpaved Pedestrian/Bicycle Trail

Interpretation Theme/s: Geology

AREA 2:ACCESS POINTS

Type of Visitor Experience:Gateway points to Three Sisters Park. Provide trail information and identify appropriate contact information for management issues. Overview of educational opportunities via interpretive themes.

Type of Facilities:Information KioskTrash/Recycling Bin

Interpretation Theme/s: Protect Three Sisters: Overview of Themes

Consider providing distinctive kiosks at all park entries to help identify Three Sisters as a unique visitor experience. Natural stone slabs used in this example create a dramatic statement while respecting the natural landscape.

4.1 FOUR AREAS OF VISITOR EXPERIENCE

Four areas of visitor experience have been identified for Three Sister Park. These areas describe how visitors will interact with the site, the type of facilities provided, duration of visit, and interpretive themes that will be employed to educate visitors about Three Sisters Park. The Visitor Experience Plan provided in Section 5 describes how these areas might be distributed across the site.

3 EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES

3.1 INTERPRETING THE THREE SISTERS

Five themes for interpretation have been identified for the site (See Figure 1). These themes will be used to develop educational experiences for Three Sisters Park. Potential methods of delivering this information vary and include graphic signs, supervised programs, and smart phone technology. Section 4 specifies the appropriate areas for each theme and the Visitor Experience Site Plan (Section 5) illustrates some potential locations for the topics outlined in Figure 1 below.

wildlife

plants

stewardship& restoration

recreation

geology

Protect

Three Sisters

Trail Etiquette and Safety

How to Ride

Trail Building

Opportunities for Volunteers to Build Trails

Figure 1: FRAMEWORK FOR INTERPRETATION FOR THREE SISTERS PARK

Define StewardshipGeographic

Opportunities for Stewardship on the Property

The Need for Restoration

Opportunities to Volunteer for Restoration

Raptors (Peregrine Falcon Focus) & Small Mammals

Reptiles (Yellowbelly Racer, Longnose Leopard Lizard, Midget Faded Rattlesnake)

Migratory Songbirds

Large Mammals (Bear, Mountain Lion, and Mule Deer)

Rare Finds

Biological Soil Crust

Invasive Species

Potential for Restoration

Why Restoration is Important

Why the Three Sisters Exist

Hydrology and the Importance of No-Thoroughfare Wash

Paleontology

2

1

3

5

4

3

= Potential Educational Facility and Location/Topic Key (See Visitor Experience

culture

Archeological Sitesin the Area

History of Native Americans

6



AREA 3RECREATION

AREA 4BUFFER

This area will connect to the Lunch Loop Trail network and provide visitors with an extension of the beginner and family friendly Kids Meal Trail. Trails will be designed to accommodate a diversity of users. Trails will be designed per Section 2 and will respect and protect the natural resources of the property. If possible, existing trails will be utilized to realize the conceptual trail connections described on the Visitor Experience Plan. Type of Facilities:Natural Surface Multi-Use Trails

Educational Signage (See Figure 1 and Visitor Experience Plan for locations and potential topics.)

Smart Phone App

Boulder Seating at Overlook Area (Located at Interpretation Point 3, See Visitor Experience Plan)

Interpretation Theme/s: Recreation Geology Wildlife

This area will not contain any trails and will serve as a buffer between the recreation opportunities provided in Area 3 and private property owners to the east. Type of Facilities:No trespassing and private property signs

Trails designed and built by COPMOBA will provide a much needed extension to the Kids Meal Trail. Small and unobtrusive educational signs like this one help riders develop their skills (Right).

Existing trails provide access to all corners of the site and should be utilized where appropriate (above). The views and sense of solitude enjoyed on Three Sisters is a fundamental part of the visitor experience (below).

PlantsStewardship & RestorationCulture

The Mira Monte Neighborhood (seen in the distance) borders the eastern edge of the property.

The baseline study completed by Rare Earth Science includes the following list of recreational and educational opportunities for the Three Sisters Park which are “compatible with the property’s scenic open space and habitat values”:

Community volunteers or clubs conducting:

o Restoration activities*.

o Trail building and maintenance

o Cleanup and restoration of dump sites on the property and directly adjacent to

the property (see Figure 4)

o Weed control and eradication (tamarisk removal in main wash, hand pulling of

herbaceous weeds in disturbed areas and along trails, for example)

Students, teachers, researchers, or naturalists conducting:

o Flash flood analysis.*

o Study of invasive species.*

o Rare plant surveys (such surveys should be conducted with care to avoid

trampling fragile biological soil crusts; see Section 5.2 for rare plants with the

potential to occur on the property).

o Bird watching (from trails or designated overlooks)

o Annual bird point counts / Audubon Christmas count (from trails or designated

overlooks)

o Research regarding the recovery rates of biological soil crusts

o Rodent or reptile live trapping studies

Designated areas (i.e., rocky viewpoints) for activities such as:

o Quiet contemplation

o Plein air painting events, instruction, contests, exhibitions, or exhibits

o Nature photography instruction, contests, exhibits

o Installation art or ephemeral art projects (for example, a small sculpture garden

could be created at the southmost area of disturbed ground on the property

[Photopoint 66] using found objects and scrap metal from the old dump on the

adjoining BLM land, or the grantee could partner with local art organizations to

stage an offsite “found object sculpture contest / exhibit / fundraiser” with items

collected during cleanup of the BLM dump)

* Items to be coordinated with Rare Earth Science and added to baseline study report.

Supervised volunteer participation in restoration efforts. Locations may be closed to daily visitors due to resource degradation caused by past use. Potential restoration activities that visitors could participate in include:

Collect native seeds from plants along the trail and create seed balls for distribution across the site.

Pick-up trash and debris at dump and party sites.Weed control.Partner with university to research regeneration

of biological soil.

Type of Facilities:Signs to identify closed areas and educate visitors about ongoing restoration activities.

Interpretation Theme/s: Stewardship & Restoration

Signing closed areas will help keep visitors off closed trails

while engaging volunteers in restoration efforts will

help build community understanding for why certain

areas and trails are closed.

Volunteers make seed balls that will later be used as part of a restoration effort.

4.2 RESTORATION

A fifth type of experience (restoration) will occur across the site. Specific locations for this activity will be identified in the baseline study. While not identified as an area, restoration will be a critical activity on the site and the opportunity to engage visitors in this activity is key to the visitor experience recommended for Three Sisters.



4 VISITOR EXPERIENCE SITE PLAN

Three Sisters PropertySite Context

Scale: 1” = 150’

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Three Sisters Property - Visitor Experience Plan

Draft April 2012

Scale: 1” = 150’

THREE SISTERS PROPERTY

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2

1

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City of Grand Junction

City of Grand Junction

“Painted Bowl”

Harris/ SmithLand

Lunch LoopTrails

To Colorado National Monument

To Downtown

Grand Junction

Tabeguache Trail Head

BikePark

1

Monument Road

Monument Road

Mira Monte Rd

Wash DrainageW Ridges

Blvd.

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B

3

5

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Legend:Area 1: Viewshed Protection

Area 2: Access Points

Area 3: Recreation

Area 4: Buffer Area

Conceptual Trail Connections(Actual trail alignments not shown.)

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3

2

1 Three Sisters Property

Adjacent Property Boundary

Potential Building Envelope

Existing Lunch Loop Trails

Existing Road

Wash/ Drainage

*Potential Trail Connections* Interpretation Points/Potential Education Facility

Three Sisters Park: Key Issues, Opportunities, & Recommended Strategies

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Issue Opportunity Recommended Strategy

6.1 Planning Process and Logistics Project Schedule:Updated project schedule.

Project Schedule:Create project schedule that includes public review process and City of Grand Junction scheduled possession of property. The schedule should also include major project milestones such as: development of management plan, memorandum of understanding, trail planning and design, and trail construction.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust

Memorandum of Understanding: The management of Three Sisters Park needs to be incorporated into the existing MOU between City of Grand Junction and BLM.

Memorandum of Understanding: Schedule a meeting between BLM and City of Grand Junction.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, City of Grand Junction, BLM

Management Plan:A management plan for the property is required. The plan should include an understanding of what entity or partner is responsible for trail maintenance, should incorporate annual monitoring by Mesa land Trust, and should address the difference in management style between BLM and City of Grand Junction.

Management Plan: Schedule a round table meeting with all agencies involved in future management of the property to determine roles, responsibilities, and direction for the management plan.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, City of Grand Junction, BLM, COPMOBA

Trail Design and Construction Plan:Need to focus and direct efforts of various groups to ensure that planning and design of trails at Three Sisters utilizes partners in an efficient and effective way. Partners should also be included in the management plan for the site where applicable.

Trail Design and Construction Plan:Collaborate with partners.

Trail Design and Construction Plan:Engage partners early and establish what role and level of participation they are willing to contribute to specific tasks outlined in the project schedule.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, COPMOBA, BLM

Priority Level: High: Immediate attention and coordination with key stakeholders is suggested. Medium: Resolving this issue should be a goal of the next phase of planning and design for Three Sisters Park.

Low: This Issue can be resolved as part of future planning efforts for the Monument Road Corridor Project.

6 ISSUES, OPPORTUNITIES, AND RECOMMENDATIONS



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6.2 Planning Process and Logistics (Continued)Partnership Opportunities:Need to explore partnership opportunities for trail building, maintenance, and management at Threes Sisters.

Partnership Opportunities:Explore opportunities to include multiple groups in the stewardship of Three Sisters Park.

Partnership Opportunities:

Contact groups as appropriate.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Trail Host Program (City of Grand Junction), WCCC program (BLM), Hilltop Experienntial Learning Program, and any others.

6.2 AccessMariposa Intersection:The intersection of Mariposa Drive and Monument Road is a key access point for pedestrians and cyclists accessing Tabeguache Trailhead from The Ridges Neighborhood northwest of the property. An existing paved trail connects this residential area to Monument Road. There is no trail connection to the parking area (~110 yards southwest of the intersection) or safe crossing across Monument Road. This access point is already in use and represents an existing hazard to pedestrians and cyclists.

Mariposa Intersection: Determine crossing point along Monument Road.Provide a trail connection from the intersection to the crossing point and from Tabeguache Trailhead to crossing point.Develop options for Trail Crossing (crosswalk with signal, underpass, etc.)

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa County, City of Grand Junction, Neighborhood

Mira Monte Road:The neighborhood has experienced issues with people parking along the street and trespassing across private property to access Lunch Loop trails via Mira Monte. No parking signs have helped to alleviate the problem but there is a strong desire from the neighborhood to deal with this issue in a proactive way once Three Sisters Park is open to the public.

Additional bicycle and pedestrian access to Three Sisters is necessary as requested by stakeholder and aligns with the goals of Mesa Land Trust to improve bicycle access.

Mira Monte Road (Building Envelope B):This neighborhood street represents a key access point into the Three Sisters Property. At this time no plan for facilities (except signage and trash receptacles) are intended for Envelope B.

Mira Monte Road:Develop as a pedestrian and bicycle only access point. Develop and install additional private property/no parking signs as needed.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, Neighborhood, Mesa County, BLM, City of Grand Junction

Need for Additional Parking:The opening of Three Sisters Park may increase demand on the existing Tabeguache Parking Area.

Need for Additional Parking The City owns property across the street from Three Sisters and along Monument Road that may provide opportunities for additional parking.

Need for Additional Parking:Assess best location for additional parking. Coordinate this issue with the improvement of the pedestrian/bicycle crossing at Miraposa Drive/Monument Road intersection.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, Neighborhood, City of Grand Junction, BLM, Grand Valley Trails Alliance

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6.3 Trail UsersEquestrians:There is a small number of equestrian users who are also neighbors who like to access lunch loop trails via the Three Sisters property.

The surrounding BLM land/Lunch Loop Trail System is not managed for equestrian use and there is limited to no trailer parking at Lunch Loop access points.

User conflicts between equestrians and mountain bikers is also an issue. Horses fear mountain bikers and the types of ledgy trails favored by mountain bikers are not ideal for equestrians because horses tend to slip on these trails.

Equestrians:BLM may work with equestrian groups like Backcountry Horseman and Mira Monte residents to understand the type of equestrian use going on in the area and to improve understanding and relationship between mountain bikers and equestrians.

Equestrians:Address equestrian use directly via conversations with BLM, Mira Monte residents, and other equestrian groups.Allow residential equestrian access via private land. Provide multi-use trail safety rules at all trailhead access points.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: BLM, Grand Valley Trails Alliance, City of Grand Junction, Equestrian Groups (Back Country Horseman)

Mountain Bikers:Lunch Loop trail system is difficult and not geared towards beginners or children and families. It is difficult for beginners to access other easy to moderate BLM trails south of Three Sisters via lunch loop trails at Tabeguache.

Mountain Bikers:Extend existing Lunch Loop trail system to Three Sisters and provide easy to moderate trails for kids and families that connect to moderate level BLM trails south of the property.

Mountain Bikers:Design and construct new trails at Three Sisters to provide a fun and enjoyable beginner level ride.Provide trail connection to BLM trails south of property.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, BLM, COPMOBA, Grand Valley Trails Alliance

Dogs/Dog Walkers:Dog walkers (and runners with dogs) currently utilize the Lunch Loop Trails. Conflict between dog walkers and mountain bikers (especially downhill mountain bikers) is a potential issue.

Dogs disturb wildlife and horses (equestrians).

Unleashed dogs cause serious resource damage to sensitive plants and biological soil crust, the presence of the latter is extensive.

There is currently an issue with dog waste on Lunch Loop trails (ie waste is not being picked up and disposed of properly).

Dogs/Dog Walkers:Reduce risk of user conflicts between dog walkers and mountain bikers by providing more trails for dog walkers at Three Sisters.

Dogs/Dog Walkers:Improve signage at Tabeguache and at Three Sisters access points about proper disposal of dog waste and dog etiquette.Provide waste disposal stations at trailheads.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, BLM, Grand Valley Trails Alliance

Runners and Hikers:No issues. This user group has minimal impact on trails and is compatible with both mountain bikers and equestrian users.

Runners and Hikers:Runners and hikers would like access to Three Sisters, especially the high points of the site which represent great destinations and training opportunities for this user group

Runners and Hikers:Provide runners and hikers with trails that access high points on Three Sisters.Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, BLM, Grand Valley Trails Alliance



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6.4 Neighbors / Private PropertyRespect for Private Property:The eastern boundary of Three Sisters Park abuts private property.

Respect for Private Property:Alert trail uses to private property with adequate signage along the property boundary.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, City of Grand Junction, Private Landowners/Neighbors

Harris/Smith Property:The Harris family would like to grant public access to allow for a pedestrian only trail to the top of the Little Sister (which is on their property). The family would like to see educational signage at the top of the Little Sister and ideally, would like to provide an accessible trail to the top of this overlook.

Harris Property:Work with family to determine the potential for developing a trail and other appropriate educational features on their property.

Harris Property:Work with family to grant public access agreementWork with family to establish alignment for pedestrian trail to top of Little Sister.Determine if an accessible trail is possible.Identify appropriate topics for interpretation and sign locations. Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Harris Family, Mesa Land Trust, BLM, Trail Planners/Builders (COPMOBA or others)

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6.5 EducationEducation Potential:The public does not understand how BLM and the City of Grand Junc-tion work together to manage the Tabeguache Trailhead and Lunch Loop Trails. With the addition of Three Sisters it will be important to convey the various agencies and partners who have come together to protect and mange the property.

• Need additional interpretive educational opportunities to compliment National Monument and what others are doing.

• Promote understanding of importance of natural areas in proximity to urban centers.

• Need to engage youth in outdoor activity and natural resource learning.

Education Potential:The Three Sisters property represents an excellent opportunity to educate visitors on a wide range of topics including geology, plants, animals, land management, mountain bike skills, trail etiquette ,and the importance of protecting open space.

Potential to partner with stakeholders to develop educational information and features across the site.

Educational Potential:Use outline developed for this planning document to further develop topics for interpretation.Determine appropriate methods and media for conveying information to public (traditional signs, App or QR code technology, programs, or volunteers).Work with partners like Boyscouts, COPMOBA, Trail Groups, Colorado Mesa University, and educators at all levels to develop educational topics and features.Improve information at Tabeguache trailhead about which agency to call for various issues.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, partners

6.6 Connectivity to Existing & Future Trails Connections to BLM and Lunch Loop Trails:Need to connect the easy/moderate trails planned on three Sisters with existing easy/moderate trails not difficult trails.

Connections to BLM and Lunch Loop Trails:Opportunities to increase easy to moderate trails for beginners, kids and families.

Connections to BLM and Lunch Loop Trails:Work with BLM to determine best location for connecting new Three Sisters trails to existing BLM trails.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, BLM, COPMOBA

Monument Road Corridor:Lack of trail connectivity and safe routes for pedestrians and bicyclists to access public lands.

Dependence on motor vehicle to access public lands means that children cannot access recreation opportunities without help from parents.

Monument Road Corridor:The protection of Three Sisters is a piece to the broader Monument Road Corridor Vision shared by City of Grand Junction, Mesa County, BLM, and NPS.

Amazing opportunity to connect the community of Grand Junction to surrounding public lands via and off road paved multiuse trail.

Economic generator for local community via increase tourism created by expansion of access to recreation.

Potential to improve health of local community via increase access to trails and public lands.

Monument Road Corridor:Utilize GOCO funding to develop a shared conservation vision between agencies to help guide a unified planning process for the future development of the trail corridor.

Establish and maintain a database for information regarding property ownership, ROW information, and other important information provided by various agencies or other entities.

Seek funds for planning effort to identify feasibility of the trail, alignment alternatives, and implementation costs.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, City of Grand Junction, Mesa County, BLM, NPS

Colorado Riverfront Trail:Lack of trail connectivity and safe routes for pedestrians and bicyclists to access Colorado Riverfront Trail and Three Sisters (Envelope A) from Grand Junction.

Colorado Riverfront Trail:Trail connection from Colorado Riverfront Trail to City of Grand Junction and on to Three Sisters/Tabeguache Trailhead (See Monument Road Corridor above)

Colorado Riverfront Trail:Improve bicycle and pedestrian connections.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: City of Grand Junction



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Connectivity to Existing & Future Trails (Continued) Other Trails: Other recreation trails in the area could benefit form greater connectivity to broader trail network (Water Tower and Redlands Mesa)

Other Trails: Reduce dependency on motor vehicles and expand recreation opportunities accessible via trail network.

Other Trails: Incorporate connectivity to other trails into Monument Road Corridor Project. Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, Mesa County, BLM, Grand Valley Trails Alliance

6.7 Natural Resources & Site FeaturesVerify Wildlife:Need to balance recreational use and desire to protect wildlife that use the property as a corridor. Deer, fox, bobcats, bears, wild turkeys, coy-ote, lion have all been seen on the property.

Verify Wildlife:Opportunities for wildlife viewing and education on the importance of protecting wildlife corridor. Education about urban-wildlands interface.

Verify Wildlife:Work with Rare Earth Science to understand wildlife and consult with Colorado Parks and Wildlife.Trail plan should take advantage of wildlife viewing opportunities while respecting the space required by species that use the property.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, Rare Earth Science

Wash:A wash runs along the northern boundary of the property (south of Monument road). This wash is prone to flash flooding and represents a potential hazard to trail users.

Wash:The wash is a dynamic and compelling feature of the site that could be used to educate visitors on the frequency and danger of flash floods in this environment.

Wash:Post signs to warn people of possible flash floods.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, COPMOBAHigh Points and Vistas:Visitors are drawn to high points and an array of user created trails have caused concerns about resource damage and viewshed impacts.

A goal of the Three Sisters project is to protect viewsheds. Trails visible from the road do not align with stakeholder and Mesa Land Trust desires to protect natural viewsheds.

High Points and Vistas:High points represent fun and engaging destination points for trail users.

High Points and Vistas:Identify appropriate locations for trails to high points on the three sisters. Close and revegetate user created trails which are not sustainable and pose resource concerns. Educate visitors about the importance of staying on trails.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, Grand Valley Trail Alliance


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Natural Resources & Site Features (continued)Peaceful Undeveloped Character:Desire to maintain peaceful and natural character of the site and the desire to provide more recreational trails.

Peaceful Undeveloped Character:A rare opportunity to find a solitude and quiet outdoor experience close to the City of Grand Junction.

Peaceful Undeveloped Character:When choosing between alternatives presented in this plan, think about impacts to the feeling of peace and solitude which is now available on the site and balance the desire to maintain this character with the desire for recreational use.

Ensure that trail density is appropriate and trails are placed effectively to achieve protected viewsheds and peaceful undeveloped character.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust and Stakeholders

Archeology: The site may have sensitive archeological resources and trails connecting to adjacent BLM land may also encounter archeological resources.

Archeology: Educational opportunity about past cultures and how they lived and used the natural resources around them.

Archeology: All proposed trail alignments should undergo a review for archeological resources prior to construction/implementation.

Agency/Stakeholder Involvement: Mesa Land Trust, City of Grand Junction, and BLM


7 OTHER ISSUES

Several issues arose during the stakeholder process which, while not relevant to this planning effort, should be considered in future efforts to manage adjacent trails and properties.

Little Park Trailhead:This alternate trailhead to Tabeguache is frequently used by mountain bikers, equestrians, and runners to connect to the lunch loop trails. Users include downhill mountain bikers (who shuttle between the two trailheads, equestrians (who park trailers here), and runners (who use it as a staging area to both begin and end races from/to Tabeguache parking area). Given the popularity of its use, there may be a need to study this area further.

Competitive Races and Special Events:Running and mountain bike groups currently use the Tabeguache parking area to stage competitive races. The number of competitors and onlookers drawn to such events strains both trailhead and trail capacity. New trails at Three Sisters may be attractive destination for this type of activity and other special events and may expand the potential routes (race course) for competitive events.

Vendors/Concessions in Parking Lot:Currently, vendors are using the Tabeguache parking area and are not regulated by the City of Grand Junction or BLM. A permit system and improved vendor parking and management may be beneficial as the are becomes more popular.

8 RESOURCES

The following resources should be consulted as the planning, design, and implementation for three Sisters Park advances.

City of Grand Junction:Grand Junction Comprehensive Plan (Long Range Plan)

Mesa County:1996 Mesa County Master PlanGrand Valley Plan (Trails Plan)Monument Road ROW Information

BLM (Not for Public Distribution):Draft Zone 1 RMP document.DRAFTTrailDevelopmentProcessDocument

Mesa Land Trust:

BaselineStudy,RareEarthScience

Produced By:Alta Planning + Design

2551 31st StreetBoulder, Colorado 80301

Tel: 720.524.8329www.altaplanning.com

Documents

Mesa Land Trust Three Sisters Park Plan