Lookout Mountain Land Acquisition
Lookout Mountain is the promontory on the south edge of The Town of Del Norte. The base of the mountain is within the Town Limits. It has an elevation gain to just over 600 feet above the town, which is 7884 feet.
In the early 1900’s there was an observatory on the top of the mountain until, during a big wind storm, it was blown over the edge of the summit. Continuously from the time of the observatory there has always been a trail from the town to the top. It was unmaintained and in an unimproved, rugged state. There were always a few people who used it, but the majority of the residents had never been to the top of Lookout Mountain.
100 years, or so, later (2007) the town of 1,705 decided to do a Master Plan for Trails. A new interest was arising in recreation. This was partially spurred by a new HUD level 4 Critical Access Hospital and the availability of up-to-date information about childhood obesity and other problems in impoverished, underserved communities like so many in the San Luis Valley.
The Town of Del Norte owned the top of the mountain and the north face which displayed a large “D” (in the 1950s built by high school students with large rocks and whitewash) visible from the town, US 160, and from miles around. The rest of the mountain along with all the land on the east and west was privately owned.
The Colorado State Parks lottery funded Master Plan showed a set of looping trails on and around Lookout Mountain that were on Town owned land and on undeveloped private land. Some easements were obtained by the Town and part of the trail plan was built out. What was built out was completed by local volunteers, Adams State University student volunteers, and by Southwest Conservation Corps youth. The SCC youth were funded for four weeks by an additional State Parks Trails Program Grant (2010) which included Trailheads with kiosks, rehab of some old four wheel drive and ATV damage, and trail signage.
People in the town, and region were encouraged by what our little town had done and a new valley wide focus on trails and recreation had begun. For over a year there have been regular monthly meetings which include the USFS, BLM, DoI, USF&W, multiple County Commissioners, ASU, SLVCOG, and representatives from many of the valley municipalities. The focus is to create continuity and connectivity between Federal, State, and Local entities and resources to the benefit of the entire San Luis Valley.
All this time the Town of Del Norte continued to look at the private land around Lookout Mountain. The land had been divided in to 35 acre parcels with an inner ring touching the mountain and an outer ring that had paved County Road access on both the east and the west. The outer ring now has a home/ranchette on each parcel. The inner ring of 4 parcels that included the east, south, and west of Lookout Mountain had certain access issues causing the owner to decide to let them go. The Town of Del Norte convinced her to give us a shot at a GOCO grant cycle before she put them on the market individually. We had a qualified appraisal done , and she agreed to the price valuation. She then said we had only the spring grant cycle to accomplish the purchase. If we were not awarded the grant in June, she would tell the realtor to list the properties. We applied for and received a GOCO, LPOR land purchase grant that June (2012).
The 140+ acres were added to the existing Town owned land to create a 200+ acre mountain park. By deed and resolution it will remain undeveloped and be used only as a trails and recreation park. The purchase has allowed us to connect the High School directly to the trails system and to expand the wellness uses which border the new hospital.
The Master Plan, the trail building and development, and the land acquisition were accomplished because of Colorado Lottery Funds. This kind of amenity for our residents and visitors would never have found funding in our Town’s Budget. The Lottery’s impact in rural Colorado, as a percentage of monies available to touch people, is huge. We even have an entry in the summit register by a man who was born and raised in Del Norte, but had never been to the top of the mountain. He came back from another state to visit with his wife and children and took the improved trail to the summit. He said it gave him a new pride to show his family where he had been raised.
Thank you very much,
Marty Asplin
Trustee, Mayor Pro Tem
Town of Del Norte, Colorado
