One of Pitkin County’s most beloved valleys is the focus of a facilitated conversation between the public, the county and the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) this month. The meeting to discuss the entire Castle Creek watershed is set for Wednesday, April 22nd from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Adventure Lodge in Ashcroft (formerly King Cabin) located approximately 12 miles up Castle Creek Valley from the Aspen roundabout.
“The Castle Creek watershed is seeing an ever-increasing demand for recreational use on public lands, there is a continued desire for historical and environmental education in the valley, and a long-standing expectation of residential solitude,” said Pitkin County Community Development Director, Cindy Houben. “This is our challenge,” Houben said.
Houben pointed out that only 9% of the land in the Castle Creek Valley Watershed is private. The remaining 91% is public land managed by the USFS. The majority of the roadways in Castle Creek are owned by Pitkin County and most of them traverse USFS lands.
“This is a wonderfully unique land ownership pattern,” said Houben. “The public’s perspective about what makes the entire length of Castle Creek desirable to them now and into the future is important for us to discuss,” Houben said.
Pitkin County Community Development and U.S. Forest Service officials will be on hand at the meeting to offer information and collect feedback. For more information call: Cindy Houben, Pitkin County at 970-920-5097 or Martha Moran, USFS at 970-963-2266