Inconsiderate people have spoiled leaf peeping in Colorado

Skip the leaf peeping, pet a bison instead. Admit it. When you were stuck in bumper-to-bumper traffic trying to glimpse aspen gold along Guenella Pass this fall, you wanted to recommend unsafe alternative mountain recreation, especially to those who parked illegally along the road blocking the flow of traffic.

To the consternation of us Colorado natives and those who live in mountain communities, inconsiderate people have spoiled a rite of autumn — leaf peeping. Even on weekdays, roads to scenic aspen byways nearest the Front Range have become nearly as congested as Denver city streets during rush hour. Illegally parked cars further narrow the mountain roads worsening traffic. Sherriff deputies in rural counties have to cover hundreds of square miles and may be called away from traffic enforcement to handle real emergencies. This limits the number of vehicles they can ticket.

Worse, some tourons dump trash at the trailhead or leave bags of dog waste along the trail for the rest of us to enjoy. One frustrated woman picked up 110 bags of poop on a single hike. Do we have to bring the famed “Crying Indian” — Italian actor Iron Eyes Cody — out of retirement? How about the Woodsy Owl? Some people need a refresher about polluting our public lands.

It’s a shame there are too many people on the road, too many illegally parked vehicles, and too many selfish hikers to enjoy the color-changing aspen like we once did. There’s nothing we can do about the population increase — 2 million people moved here since we hiked these trails in the 1970s — but for the latter two problems, there are options.

We could encourage people to take selfies with mountain fauna especially large wild ungulates and/or mama bears. Stand close for the perfect shot! Kiss that cub! We could put up misleading traffic signs to encourage detours to New Mexico. Tell released wolves that if they like the taste of Hereford calf, they’ll love tourists. Give that civically minded citizen who cleaned up after other hikers a tow truck and license to remove vehicles parked illegally or owned by litterers. Install cameras so the rest of us can relish the moment of understanding. Bet they’ll give a hoot now.

Faced with 21.8 million international visitors this summer, not all of them well-mannered, Spain’s native sons and daughters took to the streets demanding curbs on mass tourism. Maybe mountain residents could do the same. Hey ho, Front Range leaf peepers have got to go!

In all seriousness, authorities should levy higher fines for illegal parking and littering to deter these behaviors. Other changes may be necessary so that everyone can enjoy these once a year views. Just as park services have required reservations for hiking Hanging Lake trails and the Manitou Incline, it may be time require reservations for narrow scenic byways and trails. Otherwise, longtime residents will resent new comers, especially the inconsiderate ones.

Colorado’s population growth hasn’t been all bad, not by a long shot. Benefits include economic growth, new artistic, recreational, and cultural amenities, regenerated urban neighborhoods, and more public revenue for parks and trails. There have been costs, too, including more traffic, higher housing costs, and crowding of public spaces. Additional mitigation is necessary to ensure equitable access to public land.