Cattle guards on LoBo Trail get mixed reviews from cyclists

Cyclists don't have to stop and open gates anymore on a section of the LoBo Trail in Niwot. Boulder County is installing cattle guards and re-doing the gates at two places on the stretch of trail between Highway 52 and Monarch Road, west of 79th Street. The arched, metal slats allow cyclists, or people with big enough feet, to pass through without bothering with a gate or touching a public surface. They are next to the regular gates for pedestrians and vehicles, which are still in place for people who can't or don't want to navigate the cattle guards.

In a totally unscientific study of three cyclists, feelings about the cattle guards ran the gamut. "I hate them. They are treacherous. The metal is slick if it is wet and they are steep," said Dave Olson of Niwot. He gets off and opens the gate the same way he always has.

"They're not my favorite," said Dick Spinetto of Gunbarrel, "but I don't have any real complaints. I'm just glad I have wide tires and I'm not on a road bike."

"I think they are fantastic. It's so convenient to ride over one of those rather than stopping and opening a gate. I'd love it if every single gate had one of those," said Seth Caliga of Lafayette. He admitted that they can be a little intimidating at first. "You have to line up straight and keep your momentum. If you do that, they're fine. It just takes some confidence."

Boulder County Parks and Open Space added the cattle guards after getting calls from some Niwot residents when the pandemic started this spring, according to Al Hardy, Recreation and Facilities Manager for the county. He said people wanted to know why the gates had to be there. The county decided to look into the issue and ultimately installed the guards after the spring-loaded gates were propped open and eventually damaged, possibly because people didn't want to touch the public surface. They became a maintenance issue.

Hardy said cattle guards are used on trails that go through areas leased for agriculture. They leave an opening for human travel while deterring livestock from leaving the fenced-in properties. Hardy said there are a few other cattle guards in the area, including Superior and Boulder.