Colorado's Black Bear Pass is one of the most notorious off-road trails in the country. A treacherous route over the mountains and down into the city of Telluride, the steep gravel road has claimed many 4x4s over the years. It's an achievement for any vehicle and driver to traverse it, but now proposed land management changes for the Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre, and Gunnison (GMUG) National Forests might mean its closure for use by motorized vehicles, as Hemmings reports.
Here are the stakes: the Forest Service is essentially deciding how to zone 3 million acres of the GMUG for the next 15 years. It's come up with four possible plans on how to do this, and there was a public comment period allowing people to voice their opinions. Of the four plans, one keeps things the way they are now—it's been named Alternative A. Another, Alternative B, adds more "semi-primitive motorized" land, keeping Black Bear pass active. The remaining two are cause for concern if you want the trail to stay open.
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