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September 17, 2025 Access Secured on Colorado’s Mt. Bross and Iconic 14er Loop
The Conservation Fund just secured more than 480 acres on the slopes of Mount Bross — one of Colorado’s iconic 14,000-foot peaks — in a major win for conservation, recreation access, and mountain heritage.
This newly acquired land protects public hiking access along a nearly eight-mile alpine route that connects four breathtaking summits: Mount Democrat, Mount Cameron, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Bross. For Coloradans and visitors alike, the trail known as the DeCaLiBron Loop is one of the state’s most known and awe-inspiring ways to experience multiple 14ers in a single hike.
The DeCaLiBron loop crosses both public and private land, where complex ownership has long posed challenges for hikers, land managers, and local communities that depend on outdoor recreation for economic stability. Without permanent protection, private land ownership could have blocked public access and fractured the scenic views that define Colorado’s high country.
In addition to securing trail access, this project will preserve the alpine viewshed from the highest points of the trail, and protect the fragile alpine ecosystems that exist only at these elevations. The newly conserved land also helps safeguard the headwaters of the South Platte River — a critical water source for communities, wildlife, and agriculture throughout the region. This effort is part of The Conservation Fund’s long-term vision to protect Colorado’s high peaks. It builds on our 2023 acquisition of Mount Democrat, now managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and moves us one step closer to fully securing public access and ecological protections across the entire trail system.
This project was made possible thanks to an extraordinary partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Park County, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative, and local landowner Earth Energy Resources, LLC. With their support, this land is expected to transfer into permanent public ownership within the year.
The Conservation Fund just secured more than 480 acres on the slopes of Mount Bross — one of Colorado’s iconic 14,000-foot peaks — in a major win for conservation, recreation access, and mountain heritage.
This newly acquired land protects public hiking access along a nearly eight-mile alpine route that connects four breathtaking summits: Mount Democrat, Mount Cameron, Mount Lincoln, and Mount Bross. For Coloradans and visitors alike, the trail known as the DeCaLiBron Loop is one of the state’s most known and awe-inspiring ways to experience multiple 14ers in a single hike.
The DeCaLiBron loop crosses both public and private land, where complex ownership has long posed challenges for hikers, land managers, and local communities that depend on outdoor recreation for economic stability. Without permanent protection, private land ownership could have blocked public access and fractured the scenic views that define Colorado’s high country.
In addition to securing trail access, this project will preserve the alpine viewshed from the highest points of the trail, and protect the fragile alpine ecosystems that exist only at these elevations. The newly conserved land also helps safeguard the headwaters of the South Platte River — a critical water source for communities, wildlife, and agriculture throughout the region. This effort is part of The Conservation Fund’s long-term vision to protect Colorado’s high peaks. It builds on our 2023 acquisition of Mount Democrat, now managed by the U.S. Forest Service, and moves us one step closer to fully securing public access and ecological protections across the entire trail system.
This project was made possible thanks to an extraordinary partnership with the U.S. Forest Service, Park County, the Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, Mosquito Range Heritage Initiative, and local landowner Earth Energy Resources, LLC. With their support, this land is expected to transfer into permanent public ownership within the year.
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Mount Democrat Land Protection
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Our Program Focus Areas
Photo By: Jay McMichael
Natural Resource Conservation |
Photo By: Jara Johnson
Historic & Cultural Preservation |
Photo By: Craig Root
Diverse Recreation |
Photo By: Sara Edinberg
Environmental Education |
Background Photo By: Debbie Milburn