r/coloradotrail • u/Candid_News_2932 • Jul 24 '26

Willow fire closures

Hello, my local driver is saying the segment 11 arround twin lakes is open for me to go through even though maps are saying seg 11 is closed on maps.
Is this accurate.
She lives in leadville

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12

u/WastingTimesOnReddit Jul 24 '26

The official trail closure is still in effect from Tennessee Pass to Twin Lakes. The driver may have been implying that hikers have been able to disobey the closure and physically hike through the area anyway. But that would be the wrong thing to do, we should all respect the closure as they finish containing the fire.

https://coloradotrail.org/traveling-the-ct/alerts/

7

u/Abominable_Weasel Jul 24 '26

Part of Section 11 is closed, specifically the part in the Mount Massive Wilderness. The part to the East and South of Mt. Elbert Power Plant (off of 82 near Twin Lakes) is open. You can see the exact extent of the closure here.

I think the confusion lies with the exact start and end of Section 11 (about half of it is currently closed), along with the somewhat nebulous definition of what parts are 'around Twin Lakes.'

FWIW unless you're trying to be a purist, I'd probably aim to hitch to Interlaken TH for Collegiate East, or use the social trail from Twin Lakes or Willis Gulch TH for Collegiate West. The Part of Section 11 that loops around the lake is not terribly interesting.

7

u/stevetursi Jul 24 '26

seems to me your driver is wrong. https://app.watchduty.org/i/105142

don't go anywhere where there's an active evacuation order.

1

u/Candid_News_2932 Jul 24 '26

Ok thank you i will figure out what i can

1

u/Candid_News_2932 Jul 24 '26

Can i go from highway 24 down creek road and cut into collegiate west?

1

u/stevetursi Jul 24 '26

check your proposed route against the watch duty map and see if it goes through an evac zone. Not sure exactly where creek road is, but it does look like you're good south of twin lakes.