Boulder moves to fence off Flagstaff Road parking at night amid safety and wildfire concerns

The City of Boulder plans to install gates, fencing and physical barriers this fall along the lower stretch of Flagstaff Road, its latest attempt to enforce a nighttime parking ban that has proved difficult to uphold.

Since December 2021, parking has been prohibited on Flagstaff between 9 p.m. and 5 a.m. But city staff say drivers continue to flout the rule, and that vandalism, driving under the influence and illegal fires on Flagstaff are far more likely to happen at night. Nearby residents have also pressed the city to act, fearing that late-night activity and camping in the area could spark wildfires and put the neighborhood at risk.

In June, the city and Boulder County increased nighttime patrols along Flagstaff Road in hopes of deterring late-night parking. But Lisa Goncalo, a city recreation stewardship senior program manager, said people return to the lots throughout the night despite stepped-up patrols, making structural barriers necessary. 

“When we just have enforcement, what we’ve learned is it’s not going to work,” said Gretchen Bolivar, a ranger supervisor with Open Space and Mountain Parks during an August meeting.

The new plan calls for gates and temporary fencing at the Panorama Point trailhead, along with barriers at seven unofficial roadside pullouts in the first 1.2 miles of Flagstaff Road. The installations are expected to be completed this fall.

Goncalo said officials will monitor the changes for a year before deciding whether to make adjustments or invest in permanent infrastructure in 2027. “Staff will be documenting its effectiveness and impact to visitor use (both positive and negative) and make adjustments as needed.” 

Daytime access will remain unchanged. Parking is still allowed before 9 p.m., and Panorama Point will remain open at all hours for those who arrive on foot or bike.

Climbing concerns

Originally, city staff considered extending the barriers along the entire five-mile corridor up to the Green Mountain summit. But they scaled back the plan, likely in part to avoid conflict with climbers who rely on roadside access to Crown Rock and Contact Corner, also known as First Overhang, two popular areas farther up the road.

Members of the Boulder Climbing Community warned that losing those pullouts without public input would create serious access issues. “BCC supports the objectives of improving safety, reducing crime, and reducing fire risk emanating from the problem behaviors on Flagstaff,” Tom Isaacson, chair of the board of the Boulder Climbing Community, wrote to the Open Space Board of Trustees.

“If, however, staff someday seeks to close parking pullouts further up Flagstaff Road, that would have serious adverse consequences for climber access to this historic climbing destination.”

A long history of complaints

Concerns about late-night activity on Flagstaff are not new. As far back as the 1920s, city officials have fielded complaints about “unruly behavior” along the popular recreational area, Goncalo said. 

City and county records obtained by Boulder Reporting Lab show parking citations have held steady since the 2021 nighttime parking ban began, while fire citations have remained minimal. Drug-related tickets, largely for marijuana use, have increased this year but are still consistent with 2022 levels.

Nearby residents have also voiced concerns that homeless people camping in the area could spark a fire that could spread quickly through the wilderness area. Camping violations have declined, falling from 13 in 2022 to just three so far this year. Rangers have issued three fire-related citations since 2022: two for open flames and one in 2024 for fireworks. The city fire department reports 11 calls for fire during the same period.