Dillon Ranger District Recreation Guide White River National Forest Summit County, Colorado Please do your part to keep ermine THE SMALL BUT MIGHTY and all of Colorado’s wildlife WILD. GENERAL INFORMATION ERMINE BIKING/ erty to injury or damage. WALKING: The Damaging natural features rmines (Mustela ermine) are also called stoat, Summit County Rec- is prohibited. Please collect short-tailed weasels, or Bonaparte weasels. reational Pathway spent casings. EMore than 35 subspecies are known to System (Recpath) exist. Ermines are the most widespread weasel is a 55 mile long HUNTING: species worldwide and Colorado’s smallest, native network of paved pathways Allowed on Nation- carnivore. They’re found natively throughout opened to non-motorized al Forest lands uses. It runs throughout Sum- with certain restrictions and northern latitudes in Asia, Europe, and North mit County and to Vail. regulations. A valid Colorado America. They were also introduced into New hunting license, available Zealand in the 19th century to help control rabbit BOATING/ at businesses throughout populations. Their southernmost range in the SWIMMING: Boat- the county and online, is United States is Colorado and northern New ing is permitted on required. Check with Colo- Mexico and Arizona. Dillon Reservoir. rado Parks and Wildlife for Ermines are related to ferrets, minx, and Boating and swim- information. Dillon Ranger pine martens. They most commonly prey upon ming are permitted District does not sell hunting voles, mice, and other small rodents. Since they at Green Mountain Reser- licenses. are opportunistic predators, they may attack birds, voir. See Pg 2. fish, amphibians, lizards, invertebrates, rabbits, pi- Bill Linfield Photo LIVESTOCK: Sad- kas, and other animals. They range in size from six CAMPING: Oppor- dle, pack, and draft to 13 inches, and usually weigh less than 0.7 lb. tunities for camping animals are permit- Males are usually larger than females. Fun Facts About Ermine: on National Forest ted in the National Forest The average lifespan of an ermine in the • An ermine can kill an animal three times its lands include: developed unless otherwise posted. campgrounds (tent and RV), Use only certified weed-free wild is one to two years, but they can live up to size. seven years. Ermines are solitary mammals. Males backcountry (backpacking), forage and minimum impact and females only associate during breeding, which • In the winter, ermine hunt under the snow. and vehicular (dispersed) techniques (e.g. do not tie occurs once a year in late spring to early summer. • Ermine fur changes color seasonally. Their camping. Different regula- animals to trees or within Due to delayed implantation, the gestation period coats are brown with white undersides in the tions apply for each, espe- 100 ft of a body of water is usually eight to 10 months. Litters of three to 18 summer, and their tail has a black tip. In the cially in Wilderness Areas. or trail). Hay and straw are offspring are usually born in April or May. winter, they are all white except the black- See Pg 2. prohibited in Wilderness In Summit County, ermine are often seen at tipped tail. Areas; use pelletized feed FIRE and rolled grain. the edges of ski slopes, although they are general- • Ermine have three different types of vocal- ly nocturnal creatures. They can also be found in RESTRICTIONS: izations: a trill for communication, a screech brushwood, haystacks, cracks in vacant buildings, At certain times, MINING/GOLD rock piles or clefts, and occasionally in a vacant to ward off predators, and a squeal when in fire bans and/or restrictions PANNING: Summit magpie nest. danger. may apply to the National County has many • Their fur was used in the 14th century to in- Forest and Summit County. existing mining claims on dicate royalty. During the reign of Edward III Check with local officials for National Forest and other more information. lands. Before any mining or of England, only royal family members were panning activities, contact allowed to wear ermine pelts. FISHING: Bureau of Land Manage- Permitted on most ment (www.blm.gov) to public waters in the avoid claim violations and county. Check with Colorado the Dillon Ranger District for FEDERAL PASSES Parks and Wildlife for infor- specific details. NATIONAL FOREST Mushroom (seasonal) Available at the Dillon Ranger A permit allowing individuals mation. Fishing licenses are PERMITS & PASSES District Visitor Center to harvest up to 67 pounds not sold at the Ranger Dis- MOUNTAIN trict office but are available BIKING: Permitted of mushrooms. (No Fee) Senior Pass throughout the county and on designated A lifetime pass for US citizens or Christmas Tree (seasonal) PERMITS permanent residents 62 or older online. See Pg 10. trails within the National A permit allowing individuals Available at the Dillon Ranger with proof of age. (One-time fee) Forest, but prohibited in to harvest lodgepole pines in District Visitor Center GUNS/FIREARM all Wilderness Areas. See designated areas during the Access Pass USE in the National Pg 10. Christmas season (Thanksgiving Fuel Wood (seasonal) A lifetime pass for US citizens or Forest: Shooting is through Christmas). ($11 per tree) A permit allowing individuals to permanent residents with a documented prohibited within 150 yards NATURAL harvest standing dead or downed permanent disability. (No fee) Fuel Reduction Tree Removal of any residence, build- HERITAGE: dead trees for firewood use. Usually A permit allowing property ing, campsite, developed Removing any sold June through November. (Fee) Annual Pass owners to remove hazardous An annual pass covering entrance recreation site, or occupied pre-historic, historic, or Pole and Post dead or dying trees from adjacent and day-use fees on federal lands. area. Shooting across roads, archeological resource, (Other Forest Products) National Forest land. (Fee) Valid 12 months from purchase. (Fee) trails or bodies of water structure, site, artifact or A permit allowing individuals to is prohibited as well as in property from the National Contact the Dillon Ranger District or harvest wood products for uses All passes admit the passholder and any manner or place which Forest is prohibited. see website for more information. accompanying passengers in a private vehicle other than fuel wood. (Fee) to National Park sites. Passes may provide exposes a person or prop- discounts at other federal recreation sites. Dillon Ranger Summer Hours (Memorial Day to Labor Day) Campgrounds/Day Use Areas ....................... 2 Summer Recreation Opportunities............. 10 District Office Monday – Friday 8:00AM - 4:30PM History of Summit County ............................ 9 Featured Trails and Map ............................6-7 Call for Saturday hours (970-468-5400) is located at Important Contacts ..................................... 12 Wildflowers ................................................... 8 680 Blue River Parkway (Colorado Hwy 9) Winter Hours Wildlife .......................................................... 5 in Silverthorne across from Target. Monday – Friday 8:30AM - 4:00PM Passes and Permits ....................................... 1 Closed for Lunch 12:30pm - 1:30pm Scenic Drives ................................................ 9 Winter Recreation Opportunities ............... 11 Closed Holidays Inside? What’s part of the Arapaho Na- MEET THE tional Forest until 1998 DISTRICT RANGER when the District was transferred into the White elcome to your National For- River National Forest. est! The White River National The major towns within W Forest is one of 154 National the Dillon Ranger District Forests found across the United States. are Breckenridge, Dillon, The 2.3 million acre White River National Frisco and Forest embodies the spirit of multiple use Silverthorne. Smaller management with more than 13 million towns in the District in- DILLON RESERVOIR visitors per year, making it the number one clude Blue River, Heeney Encircled by Swan Mountain and the dra- forest for recreation visitors in the country. and Montezuma. matic Gore and Tenmile Ranges, Dillon In addition to world-class recreation and As demonstrated by Reservoir is the heart of Summit County. abundant wildlife populations, the White this Recreation Guide, the Dillon Ranger 2018 partners and volunteers on the Dillon It is owned and operated by Denver River hosts activities such as grazing, log- District has much to offer with a wide range Ranger District contributed approximate- Water and is one of Denver’s main water ging, mining, and oil and gas development of recreational activities for every season ly 25,000 volunteer hours! We are very sources. In addition to boating, it offers – all of which are crucial to the economies within a spectacular setting of the Rocky fortunate to have strong partners such as a variety of other activities including fish- of Western Colorado and help to meet the Mountain high country. Please be a respon- Friends of the Dillon Ranger District (FDRD), ing, bicycling, paddle boarding, canoeing, kayaking, and hiking. Water contact mission of the Forest Service. sible land steward by practicing Leave No Friends of Eagle Nest Wilderness, Rocky including swimming and water skiing are The 312,000-acre Dillon Ranger District Trace techniques, respecting the land and Mountain Youth Corps, Colorado Trail prohibited. During the winter season, is one of five field units of the White other visitors, abiding by all posted rules Foundation and many, many more. non-motorized uses are allowed