Local mountain bikers woke up Saturday morning to find a favorite trail had been closed by Larimer County Natural Resources. Stephen Gibson, the Red Mountain District Manager (Horsetooth Mountain, Fossil Creek Reservoir, Eagle's Nest, Red Mountain, and River Bluffs open spaces) ordered the social trail that runs between Deer Trail Court and the Blue Sky Trail closed due to complaints of illegal parking by some residents of the Continental West subdivision and due to the fact that it was never an approved trail in the first place. Signs went up Friday afternoon, January 22nd, 2021.   The entire length of trail, it's entrance at 38E and exit, at Blue Sky Trail are completely on property managed by Larimer County.

Advocates of the trail argue that Way Better Than the Road (up) (and down) should remain open because the trail offers a much safer and more fun alternative to riding County Road 38 and that the trail exists on an already improved and graded section of open space. Several years ago an access road was carved in to install power lines. A local mountain biker reached out to Mr. Gibson and his County Commissioner, Kristen Stephens and asked why no parking signs couldn't have been added in the Continental West subdivision and any trail improvements made rather than just closing the trail down. "It doesn't seem like there are any problems with the trail, it's with the access." he said.  "There are dozens of No Parking signs all along the reservoir" he continued.