Montrose, CO — Sunset Mesa has been a recreation destination for the Montrose community for decades. This feature sits proudly above the Uncompahgre River and provides trails, vistas, and disc golf holes that are unparalleled in the region. Sunset Mesa and Cerise Park are part of our Baldrige Regional Park complex, which includes Holly Park, Ute and McNeil Fields, Riverbottom Park, Cerise Park, and Sunset Mesa Sports Complex.
Locally known as the “hogback,” Sunset Mesa is home to a variety of native desert plants such as yucca, sego lily, scrub oak and sumac. Over the years, people have blazed their own paths up to the Montrose M and across the hillsides following the 18-hole disc golf course.
As more and more people utilize this area, the impacts from these “social trails” have escalated. Erosion and degradation of the native plants have occurred, and many of the routes are so steep that they become unsafe when wet or snow covered.
As of March 19, local contractor Kuboske Co. has been working to improve accessibility in the switchback area of the concrete trail ascending Sunset Mesa. They will be stabilizing eroded slopes, adding more stairs for citizens to ascend the hill, and adding fencing to direct people onto these designated trails. The concrete path onto Sunset Mesa will have temporary closures during the construction process.
“The city is making a strong push this season to begin to address the social trail impacts in Cerise Park,” said Parks and Special Projects Superintendent John Malloy. “We also plan to do work on other social trails within Cerise Park later in the spring.”
In 2015-16 the City of Montrose and Montrose Recreation district installed several miles of designated single track bike and hiking trails to complement the other amenities within Baldridge Regional Park. The public is asked to utilize these established trails and heed trail closures for restoration while recreating within Cerise Park.
For more information about how you can get involved in improving the trails in Montrose, or with questions or concerns, please contact Parks Division Superintendent John Malloy 970-240-1411 or via email at jmalloy@ci.montrose.co.us.
For more City news visit CityOfMontrose.org.