YOUR AD HERE »

Open space deal closes

Staff report
The Aspen Times
Aspen, CO, Colorado

ASPEN – A partnership among Eagle and Pitkin counties, the town of Basalt, Great Outdoors Colorado and the Mid-Valley Trails Committee on Tuesday finalized its $5 million purchase of the 145-acre Saltonstall property, now named Red Ridge Ranch Open Space.

The property, off the Rio Grande Trail outside Basalt, will remain closed to the public until the completion of a management plan.

It eventually will provide recreation access to the Bureau of Land Management’s 9,300-acre Crown area. The purchase also protects 15.7 acres of land along the Roaring Fork River with a conservation easement. In addition, the purchase comes with water rights and the potential for food production, according to Pitkin County.



Among the partners in the deal, Eagle County contributed $2 million, Pitkin County put in $1,866,250, Great Outdoors Colorado contributed $600,000, Basalt added $500,000, and the Mid-Valley Trails Committee chipped in $50,000.