Watch out for moving cattle

The Jefferson County Parks, Recreation and Trails Commission reminds residents that this is a rural county where cattle ranching is important to our local economy. Throughout the year, ranchers move their cattle to new pastures including on public lands, so you may encounter cattle almost anywhere. This is especially true in spring and fall.

If you encounter a cattle drive or even range cattle while driving, here’s a few tips to remember:

Did you know that there are routes in Jefferson County that are specifically designated for ranchers to use to trail cattle between summer and winter pastures? Cattle Drive, which was created in the 1980s when I-15 was being built, is one such route. The primitive road allows ranchers to safely move cattle back and forth between the Boulder Valley and summer pastures in the Elk Park, Bernice and Basin areas.