BOULDER, Colo. — Starting on Dec. 2, parking will be prohibited after 9 p.m. at open space parking areas on Flagstaff Mountain due to criminal activity and damage to natural resources, the City of Boulder said on Wednesday.
The parking prohibition will go from 9 p.m.-5 a.m. Monday through Sunday at trailheads, paved parking lots and pull-offs along Flagstaff Drive between the Gregory Canyon Trailhead and the Green Mountain West Ridge Trail access point. Anyone who parks there during those hours could get a parking ticket, the City of Boulder said in a news release.
Regulations have allowed parking at Flagstaff Mountain areas until 11 p.m. or midnight. The change is being made because of an increase in nighttime public-safety incidents, the city said.
"Beyond the extensive littering and wildlife disturbances that have occurred, OSMP Rangers have recently responded to numerous public safety incidents, including a wildfire at Panorama Point and alcohol-related accidents, vehicle crashes and other public safety violations on Flagstaff Mountain," according to the news release.
Those who want to continue to use Flagstaff Mountain trails at night can access them from nearby trailheads like Chautauqua, the release says.
The city asked that people who want to see the Boulder Star do so from a distance. No designated trail leads to the star, which is located on steep terrain that has seen significant erosion and plant damage over the years.
People who enter the Boulder Star closure area can face a fine of up to $1,000, the city said.
This year, the lighting ceremony for the star was held on Nov. 11 and can be viewed here.
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