New for 2020, Nederland High School is the pick-up/drop-off location; shuttles run every 15 minutes

Boulder County, Colo. - Boulder County will again offer a free shuttle service on weekends and holidays this summer and fall to carry passengers from Nederland High School (597 County Road 130) to the Hessie Trailhead, a popular entry point for accessing the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area off of Fourth of July Road.

The Hessie Trailhead shuttle program began in the summer of 2012 to address the issue of increased parking and traffic congestion on the way to the trailhead. The first eight years of the program have been successful and shuttle ridership has increased almost every year. In 2019, more than one-third of weekend and holiday visitors used the shuttle to access the Hessie Trailhead.

The shuttle schedule has been extended once again to include peak leaf viewing weekends in the fall.

Shuttle Service

The shuttle service will begin Saturday, June 27, 2020 and will run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays, and from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays. Exceptions to that schedule include:

• Friday, July 3 – Shuttle will run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Sunday, Sept 6 – Shuttle will run from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.
• Monday, Sept 7 – Shuttle will run from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

After Labor Day, the Saturday schedule will change to 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. to account for shorter periods of daylight. The last day of shuttle service will be Sunday, Oct 11, 2020.

COVID-19 Procedures

To reduce the spread of COVID-19, these policies have been implemented for 2020:

• If you have recently experienced any symptoms of COVID-19, including fever, cough, or sore throat, please do not ride the shuttle.
• All passengers ages 12 and older are required to wear a mask or face covering. Please bring your own mask.
• To promote social distancing, shuttle capacity is limited to six passengers or two households, whichever is less.
• On the shuttle, please sit in the sections labeled and leave at least one row of seats between groups.
• Shuttles are disinfected once per day, and high touch surfaces are wiped down after each trip.

Details

• Park and catch the free shuttle at Nederland High School at 597 County Road 130 (just west of the Peak to Peak Highway).
• Shuttles depart approximately every 15 minutes.
• Leashed dogs are welcome onboard the shuttle.
• Parking at the Nederland High School lot is for day use only; overnight users should make other arrangements.
• Bikes are not allowed on the shuttle due to a lack of bike racks.

Take the Bus to the Shuttle!

Rather than driving directly to the trailhead or Nederland High School, visitors are encouraged to take the RTD ‘NB1’ bus to Nederland from downtown Boulder.

Parking near the trailhead and on nearby roads such as 4th of July Road is extremely limited, and Boulder County Parks & Open Space rangers are responsible for enforcing strict parking regulations in the area. Illegal parking will result in monetary penalties and/or towed vehicles.

For more information, visit www.HessieTrailhead.com, or contact Alex Hyde-Wright at ahyde-wright@bouldercounty.org 303-441-4910.