Any update on Harris Park?

[glenncal1]

Has the site been reopened? Thanks

Called the rangers today (6/6/2011) and they stated that the shooting area is open but you have to walk in. The roads are closed at the gate. They did not have any kind of an ETA of when the forest roads around there should reopen to vehicles.

[erikbagley]

From what I can tell, it appears to be closed till July of 2015. Posted below is a link to the Forest Service website in that area. If you scroll down there is a Harris Park Closure listing with dates and map. Unless the shooting range is outside that area, I would say it's closed. I however have not called or went up there to confirm this. Comparing the posted map to Google Earth maps, the shooting range itself MAY be outside the closed area. May be worth a call to the Rangers in the area to see.

http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/!ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72 BTFxdjAwjQL8h2VAQAlu7VZA!!/?ss=110212&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSE_003753&navid=120000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=alerts&pname=Pike%20and%20San%20Isabel%20National%20Fores ts%20Cimarron%20and%20Comanche%20National%20Grassl ands-%20Alerts%20&%20Notices (http://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/%21ut/p/c4/04_SB8K8xLLM9MSSzPy8xBz9CP0os3gDfxMDT8MwRydLA1cj72 BTFxdjAwjQL8h2VAQAlu7VZA%21%21/?ss=110212&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&cid=FSE_003753&navid=120000000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&ttype=alerts&pname=Pike%20and%20San%20Isabel%20National%20Fores ts%20Cimarron%20and%20Comanche%20National%20Grassl ands-%20Alerts%20&%20Notices)

[jplove71]

Looks like Rampart Range is open again.

[glenncal1]

Btt

[erikbagley]

I called the rangers that work in that area. They said while the road is closed about a mile out from the shooting range, you're still able to hike in and use the range. You MUST hike to the range to fire, as firing on the roads and surrounding area NOT in the range is not allowed as well.

From the Forest Service website:

Area(s): South Platte Ranger District
Date(s): Jun 1, 2011 - Dec 31, 2011

Pursuant to Title 16 U.S.C. § 551, and Title 36, C.F.R. § 261.50 (a), the following act is prohibited on a portion of National Forest System lands within the South Platte Ranger District of the Pike National Forest, Park County, State of Colorado, hereinafter referred to as the Restricted Area. This order is necessary for short-term resource protection.

PROHIBITIONS:
Operating motorized vehicles in the Restricted Area, from June 1, 2011, through midnight, December 31, 2011, is prohibited. (36 C.F.R. § 261.54(a))

[erikbagley]

Duh. I missed that you edited your post. Same info I got today. A good mile hike before shooting sounds good.


Has the site been reopened? Thanks

Called the rangers today (6/6/2011) and they stated that the shooting area is open but you have to walk in. The roads are closed at the gate. They did not have any kind of an ETA of when the forest roads around there should reopen to vehicles.

[Ronin13]

UPDATE: There was some rumors floating around about how Harris park is closed (reasons originally unknown) and the potential that it won't reopen. Here's what I heard the other day: Harris Park- to include the open shooting range- is currently closed to the public due to fire mitigation/forestry operations in the area by the state of Colorado. A local who's property butts up against the public land has offered to aid in keeping the area maintained. As soon as the mitigation finishes it will reopen to the public, including shooters. The timeline as of now is yet unknown, but expected to be until 2012.

[erikbagley]

UPDATE: There was some rumors floating around about how Harris park is closed (reasons originally unknown) and the potential that it won't reopen. Here's what I heard the other day: Harris Park- to include the open shooting range- is currently closed to the public due to fire mitigation/forestry operations in the area by the state of Colorado. A local who's property butts up against the public land has offered to aid in keeping the area maintained. As soon as the mitigation finishes it will reopen to the public, including shooters. The timeline as of now is yet unknown, but expected to be until 2012.

Who'd you hear this from? I called the ranger station for the area directly and they said it was still open, as long you walk into the site, as the roads are closed. The forest service work was done over the winter from what I saw from previous notices, so I'm just wondering where you got the info. If it was from the Rangers, I'd be disappointed as they told me something completely different.

[Ronin13]

Who'd you hear this from? I called the ranger station for the area directly and they said it was still open, as long you walk into the site, as the roads are closed. The forest service work was done over the winter from what I saw from previous notices, so I'm just wondering where you got the info. If it was from the Rangers, I'd be disappointed as they told me something completely different.

It wasn't from the rangers and like a fool I didn't follow up and actually check, I heard it from a buddy who is an instructor for a local gun store and he usually checks into these sorts of things so he can notify his students and friends.

[glenncal1]

I think everything was closed up there for logging earlier this year. Two of us have called rangers and received same info. Roads closed to vehicles but you can walk in to shooting area.

[erikbagley]

I think everything was closed up there for logging earlier this year. Two of us have called rangers and received same info. Roads closed to vehicles but you can walk in to shooting area.

You attempted to hike in there yet? We keep meaning to go shooting but each weekend keeps getting messed up. Maybe next weekend...

[okfine]

Does anyone know of a shooting place somewhere around Harris park other than Buffalo creek and is not regulated. Conifer, Evergreen area?

Thanks

[rockhound]

was at the site today,

two signs posted on the fence with huge gate across it.

NO SHOOTING FOR THE NEXT 5 YEARS< NO DRIVING TIL 2012

[erikbagley]

A couple of buddies and I went up to Harris Park a couple months ago. We confirmed with the Pike Forest Rangers that you were allowed to shoot there, but ONLY at the Range. The shooting ban is for shooting from the service road up into the surrounding area.

You have to hike about a mile up the road to the range. Depending on how much stuff you have, it can be a strenuous hike. We hauled too much crap so it took us a while.

Looking at the standing orders from the Rangers, the driving ban ends December 31st of this year. They regraded the roads and cleared back encroaching trees, making it easier for forest service equipment and people to get through. There was also a few washed out parts they filled in.

This information is a couple months old, but just contact the Rangers to confirm this is still the case. (719) 553-1400 is what is listed on their website. [AR15]