A state park in the Colorado Springs area tried allowing dogs on trails over the summer, but too many people complained about the impact of the canines on the wilderness experience.
"Dogs are barred from trails at Mueller State Park in Teller County [Colorado] once again following a summer experiment to gauge their impact on the land, wildlife and other visitors," reports Ellie Mulder in an article for The Denver Post.
Beginning June 1 of this year, dogs were allowed on specific trails of the park, with specific rules about leashes, waste, and encounters with wildlife. But the experiment rubbed too many park visitors the wrong way.
“We had reports of dogs chasing small wildlife such as foxes, squirrels and rabbits,” park manager John Geerdes said in [a press release]. “And we heard, over and over again, that people come here to hike because it is one of the last places they can do so and not encounter dogs. Many come for the wildlife experience and say dogs ruin that for them.”
In the end, park officials decided that the benefits of allowing dogs did not outweigh the drawbacks for most visitors to the park. The experience at Mueller State Park differed from the outcomes of a similar experiment at Cheyenne Mountain State Park, however. Mulder. "Cheyenne Mountain State Park officials are working to gain approval from the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission to officially change the park's regulations and allow dogs on certain trails," according to a related version of this article published by The Gazette.
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