A hugely popular outdoor recreation area was shut down in Colorado on Thursday following the report of mountain lion activity in the area.

According to Larimer County Natural Resources (LCDNR), the closure was put in place at Horsetooth Mountain Open Space on January 22, which is one of the most highly-trafficked recreation areas near Fort Collins. The closure was the result of a confirmed report of a mountain lion exhibiting what was described as “suspicious behavior” toward a hiker for an extended distance while the hiker traveled along the trail.

The decision to close the area to the public was made as a precaution, including both the main trailhead and the Soderberg trailhead. LCDNR staff was joined by Colorado Parks and Wildlife personnel to monitor the area and look for signs of the animal, though the mountain lion was not found.

With the closure described as “until further notice” at the time of the initial announcement, the area reopened on Friday, January 23. While the open space has reopened, the public has been urged to exercise continued caution and to be aware of heightened mountain lion activity in the area. Any encounter should be immediately reported to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Fort Collins office at 970-472-4300.

Park and open space closures due to mountain lion activity aren’t exactly common, though they’re not unheard of. After all, mountain lions are a native species that’s range is widespread in Colorado. It’s likely the “suspicious behavior” of the big cat was a contributing factor in shutting the area down to the public. Officials weren’t specific regarding what this term meant, though in similar situations, a mountain lion stalking or following a hiker has been considered cause for concern, even if no aggression was shown by the predator.

The recent fatal mountain lion attack that occurred in Colorado was also not addressed in the closure report. While mountain lion attacks are extremely rare – 29 have been confirmed in Colorado since 1990, four of which were fatal – the New Year’s Day attack that occurred about 7 miles northeast of Estes Park reminded the public that mountain lion can, indeed, be aggressive toward hikers and runners on the trail. It’s also worth noting that five other notable mountain lion encounters were reported in the same area of the fatal attack in weeks before 46-year-old Kristen Marie Kovatch was killed, some of which prompted cautionary signage to be installed in the area.

Hikers and other recreators should take warnings like that at Horsetooth Reservoir seriously, knowing ahead of time what to do if an encounter does occur. More information on living with mountain lions can be found here.

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