COLD CREEK PUBLIC USE LIMIT
The Cold Creek drainage within Great Sand Dunes National Preserve has sustained significant hunting pressure during big game hunting seasons every year since the drainage was opened to hunter access in 2005. Due to the remoteness of Cold Creek most hunters access the area using horses or mules, in part to be able to pack out harvested game. Upon establishing camp, livestock are then high-lined, picketed, or otherwise contained for days at a time in a relatively small area which causes excessive trampling, pawing, overgrazing of vegetation, or damage to tree roots and bark. Some areas are even denuded, all of which results in unacceptable resource damage which can lead to erosion, invasive weed establishment, or other resource damage which can take months or years to rehabilitate to native conditions. Repeated use over the various hunting seasons compounds the damage. Additionally, too many hunters in this small area has also resulted in resource damage due to overuse of established campsites.
Therefore, to reduce damage to vegetation and soils and protect park resources the following restrictions are established under the authority of Title 36, Code of Federal Regulations, § 1.5 (a)(1) Closures and Public Use Limits:
1.)No more than two hunting parties with a combined maximum of six (6) head of livestock may establish campsites and maintain their livestock within the watershed drainage of Cold Creek within Great Sand Dunes National Preserve at any one time during the prescribed period.
2.)Any one hunting party is limited to four (4) head of livestock.
3.)Each hunting party with livestock must have a permit to camp and/or hunt in the Cold Creek drainage. A National Park Service Special Use Permit, NPS Form 10-114, issued for game retrieval, is established as the appropriate permit.
4.)The permit may be obtained at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve Visitor Center during its normal operating hours. Hunters wishing to start their trip before the visitor center opens on their first day must call ahead and may obtain their permit via fax. Hunters entering the area from the Liberty gate trailhead on a self-registration basis must call the visitor center to determine if space is available to register for Cold Creek. The visitor center’s phone number is(719) 378-6399.
5.)This restriction does not apply to hunters or hunting parties not using livestock.
These restrictions go into effect at 12:00 a.m. on October 12, 2011 and remain in effect until 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2011.
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Karl Cordova, Acting Superintendent Date