What officials described as a “long negotiation process” has failed, resulting a permanent closure of Smith Lake State Wildlife Area in Blanca, Colorado.

According to a September 15 announcement from Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the property that’s home to the wildlife area and a lake, also known as Boxelder Lake Number 3, is owned by the North Poudre Ditch Company. While this area is private property, Colorado Parks and Wildlife had been leasing the area since 2008, with the main draw for public visitors being fishing opportunities. That said, failed negotiations shut down public access to the area on September 12.

Colorado Parks and Wildlife didn’t publicly provide additional detail related to those negotiations, though did direct members of the public who have additional questions to contact their agency at 970-472-4300 or the North Poudre Ditch Company at 979-568-3612.

The property where Smith Lake State Wildlife Area was found was located on the eastern edge of the San Luis Valley, about 6.5 miles southwest of Fort Garland and with a view of the Sangre de Cristo range.

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