BOULDER, Colo. – Memorial Day weekend brings many visitors to the Roosevelt National Forest west of Boulder. While this holiday historically kicks of the summer camping season, snow lingers at the higher elevations this year and spring rains and snowmelt have left many road and trails roads wet, muddy and snow-packed.

Four campgrounds near Boulder are open: Kelly Dahl, Camp Dick, Peaceful Valley and Olive Ridge. Although many campsites are already booked, first come, first served spots are available at these campgrounds. Meeker Park Campground is scheduled to open June 12. Rainbow Lakes and Pawnee Campgrounds will not open until later in June. For a full list of campgrounds and opening dates please visit www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/brdcamping.

Lower elevation hiking, including trails located along and east of the Peak to Peak Scenic Byway (Highways 119, 72 and 7), have mud and snow patches. Most trails west of these routes will remain snow packed until later in June

Most National Forest System roads west of Boulder remain closed due to mud or snow. This includes motorized access into the Brainard Lake Recreation Area. This road is not scheduled to open until June 12. Make sure to check the latest road information at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/roads before heading out. The Motor Vehicle Use Map is a good resource, available at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/mvum or from our visitor center. These maps area also available as a cell phone app from Avenza at www.pdf-maps.com.

Forest visitors should note that the Boulder area still has road and trail closures due to flood damage. Detailed information can be found online at www.fs.usda.gov/goto/arp/floodrecovery.

A great resource for visitors with questions is Boulder Ranger District’s information center. The Boulder office, located at 2140 Yarmouth Avenue, is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. For more information, visit us online at www.fs.usda.gov/arp, Twitter@usfsarp or www.facebook.com/usfsarp  for the latest information or call the Visitor Information Center at 303-541-2500.