By Kit Geary, Summit Daily

Over the past month, the town of Breckenridge has been debating the fate of one of its most cherished nature preserves.

At anApril 9 meeting, Breckenridge Town Councilwas asked to contemplate the government’s role in preserving Cucumber Gulch Nature Preserve and whether recreational access should continue to be permitted in the area, which has already suffered environmental setbacks due to human-caused impacts.

Council decided at its May 14 meeting to continue to allow recreational access to the area, while still ensuring some preservation efforts be followed through on, following a month of discussion and input from community members.

Now a small portion of the Toad Alley Trail, which bisects the nature preserve, will be realigned near the base of Peak 7 at Breckenridge Ski Resort, and it could happen as soon as this summer. The other option would be to decommission the existing portion of the trail that bisects the gulch and have it pop out at Peak 8 instead of Peak 7, taking that recreational access away from the nature preserve.

Read more at Summit Daily.

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