The U.S. Forest Service, Summit County government and Breckenridge are reporting yearly increases in complaints regarding conflicts on the Aspen Alley Trail. 

Town staff members put three solutions in front of the Breckenridge officials. The Breckenridge Open Space and Advisory Commission favored one solution involving an alternating trail-user schedule in a 6-1 vote. Breckenridge Town Council favored another with six members showing support for a different proposal and one agreeing with the open space commission.

Ultimately, the town council will make the final call.

Open Space and Trails manager Duke Barlow told Breckenridge Town Council at an Aug. 12 meeting that something needs to be done due to the increase in user-reported conflicts on the popular trail known for its views, fall color and flowy mountain biking.

“I spent time there last fall, and it was eye-opening,” he said. “I don’t think it’s the user experience we want to be providing to our visitors and our residents.” 

He said between the bikes, dogs and hikers, there’s been safety concerns with overcrowding on the trail leading to potentially dangerous situations. Officials also discussed how it was a matter of user experience and people being able to enjoy using the trail. 

He brought the open space commission’s recommendation to council to create an alternating day schedule where bikes could be on the trail on even days and hikers on odd days. This would be a short-term solution targeting one of the trail’s busiest time periods: mid-September to early October. 

Barlow touched on open space commissioners’ and staff members’ concerns around the change resulting in adverse impacts to tourists. 

“It’s just one more restriction the town is instituting — maybe that will turn people off,” he said. 

That sentiment drove the council’s opposition to the proposal as they agreed some feel the town has too many restrictions at-large. Many instead showed strong favor for another option entailing increased signage and messaging as opposed to user restrictions.

Mayor Kelly Owens said considering the town is working on becoming a more welcoming destination, this felt like the wrong move. She brought up situations like a family traveling to Breckenridge for a photoshoot on the Aspen Alley Trail only to be turned around because it’s the bikers’ day to use it, and how it may deter people from visiting again. 

Council member Dick Carleton said he could get behind the alternating schedule if it remained a standing policy, but he was against it since it was proposed as a short-term solution. 

Council member Carol Saade said she’d rather see increased messaging via signs and partnerships with apps like AllTrails to inform people on the current usage levels of the trail. 

Part of the plan council favored focuses on data collection on peak use times and calls for increased staff presence at the top and bottom of the trail during its busiest time period, Sept. 13 to Oct. 5. 

Council member Jay Beckerman, who is the council liaison to the Breckenridge Open Space and Advisory Commission, was the sole no vote on that commission. He said while there’s been proven success with alternating trail schedules on popular trails in Colorado’s Front Range, that’s a different game given the level of tourism and day visitation Breckenridge sees. He described it as a “daunting task” to enforce for a town Breckenridge’s size.

Council member Marika Page also agreed to go with the option involving increased messaging. 

Council member Steve Gerard agreed with the Breckenridge Open Space and Advisory Commission’s recommendation for an alternating use schedule. 

“Every time that I (hike the Aspen Alley Trail in the fall) there is trail conflict whether I go early in the morning, whether I go in the afternoon — there’s trail conflict between bikers and hikers,” he said. 

He said because Breckenridge’s goal is to be a family friendly destination, he favored the alternating schedule for safety reasons.

Breckenridge Town Council did not hold any official votes following the discussion, but council members did direct staff to gauge user levels and increase messaging efforts to reduce conflict.