Memorial Day Weekend In Boulder County: What To Know

BOULDER, CO — As the Memorial Day weekend begins, Boulder County officials have issued several public notices with important information. Here's a roundup of the notices:

Parking update

Parking remains extremely limited at Flagstaff Mountain and Hessie Trailhead near Nederland continue as thousands of visitors flock to the areas. More than 225 cars have been turned away on each weekend day at Hessie when parking was full, according to Boulder County Parks and Open Space.

"People who choose to recreate in those areas over Memorial Day weekend should not expect to find a parking spot – which can diminish their intended outdoor experiences – and should consider recreating as close to home as possible," a public notice reads.

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Two roads remain closed near the parking areas: the Fourth of July Road from the Hessie Trailhead to the Fourth of July Trailhead and Flagstaff Mountain Summit Road.

Visitors who ignore 'no parking' signs, block emergency access gates or have any part of their tires touching the white lines on county roads may be ticketed and their cars may be towed, officials warned.

Coronavirus guidelines in parks

• Always bring face coverings when visiting open space, parks officials said. Everyone over age 12 is required to wear a face covering any time they can't maintain six feet of distance at trailheads and when passing others on trails.
• Visit open space areas in groups of four or fewer people, because larger groups can impede traffic on trails and make it difficult for people to maintain social distance, parks officials said. Parks officials also ask that visitors not gather at open space parks. Picnic tables and shelters are closed.
• Stay on the trail if no one else is around, parks officials said. If visitors need to maintain physical distance on narrow trails, they should step onto a rock or a bare spot – if possible – to let others pass, then step back on the trail.
• Adhere to dog regulations for specific trails, pick up after dogs, and remove trash.
• Stay out of wildlife closure areas and other areas closed to the public.
• To help protect first responders, know your limits and don't take any risks.

Coronavirus update

Jeff Zayach, the executive director of Boulder County Public Health, issued a message Friday for residents.

“I can’t stress enough that the responsibility to stop the spread of this disease is yours, mine, and everybody’s," Zayach said in a statement. "It is up to each of us to meet the criteria that are necessary in this phase to be able to go back to having more social interactions, being able to open more of our critical infrastructure and businesses who are suffering so badly.

“We want people to take responsibility. The examples we saw this week with the Boulder Creek gatherings are exactly what we don’t want to do – that is not taking personal responsibility. That is putting our community at risk; our businesses at risk.

“I appreciate each and every one of you for helping support us in moving forward in a positive way. Let’s keeping moving forward together.”

>> Watch the video here.

Coronavirus testing

Colorado now has enough capacity to test anyone with coronavirus symptoms. If you have symptoms, contact your regular health care provider or visit a community testing site.

Both the viral (swab-based) testing and antibody (serology) testing are available. Viral tests determine whether the virus is in a person’s body. Antibody tests or serologic tests look for the body's response to the virus in the blood and can be used in research to understand where the virus has been and the extent of its spread. Antibody tests cannot be used to diagnose an acute infection.

The Colorado Division of Insurance has directed Colorado-regulated insurance plans not to charge copays for testing, and residents with Medicaid insurance can get tested for free. For those without insurance, community testing sites can send samples to the state lab and the state will cover the cost of the testing and supplies. In addition, most businesses are now required to provide paid leave for those who test positive.

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