On May 3, the Bureau of Land Management announced it is in the process of completing a land exchange with Blue Valley Ranch, which impacts both Grand and Summit counties. The agency first announced its approval of the land exchange in January 2023, which kicked off a 45-day public comment period.

During this period, community members expressed both support and opposition for the controversial exchange. Now that the exchange has been finalized, the BLM will exchange nine parcels of federal land totaling 1,489 acres in Grand County for nine parcels acres of private land totaling 1,830 acres in Grand and Summit counties. 

This private land is part of Blue Valley Ranch, which is located off Colorado Highway 9 between Grand and Summit counties. The Blue River runs through this area, making it a prime fishing and recreation spot. Now the ranch, owned by billionaire Paul Tudor Jones II, will own formerly public land operated by BLM and vice versa.

Discussions of the land exchange first began in 2001, when Jones expressed support for it to improve management of public and private parcels. BLM staff and the public couldn’t easily access some parcels surrounded by Blue Valley Ranch land.

While the exchange solves these concerns and results in a net gain of 341 acres for the public to access, support has been mixed over the years. 

Some stakeholders laud the upcoming exchange

Bureau spokesperson Chris Maestas said the land exchange allows the bureau to exchange isolated parcels with limited or no public access for parcels that would consolidate public lands and increase public access. This eliminates the former “checkerboard” conundrum, where BLM parcels were not connected to each other.

In its May 3 news release, the BLM stated the exchange will increase public access for recreation in Grand and Summit counties.

“This exchange improves and increases public access for people of all abilities who wish to boat, hike, or drive to the Blue River and increases public hunting access along Trough Road,” BLM Colorado State Director Doug Vilsack stated in the release. “We’ve coordinated closely with local governments, other agencies, and the public, and negotiated with the proponent to ensure that the land exchange benefits the public interest.” 

For example, there will be better access to Green Mountain. Plus, nearly 2 miles of additional hike-in access to the Blue River that is currently inaccessible expect by floating, the news release added.

Dan Gibbs, executive director of Colorado Department of Natural Resources, supported the exchange in the release, explaining that it benefits wildlife, adds wheelchair access to the river and creates amenities so Coloradans can enjoy the Blue River.

Other supporters of the land exchange include Colorado legislators such as Sen. Michael Bennet, the Summit County commissioners and Grand County commissioners.

“This is an exciting day for Grand County, our residents and visitors,” said Grand County commissioner chair Merrit Linke after the announcement. “It comes with tremendous benefits for our citizens, including … significant river restoration, and more public access for hunting and fishing in Grand County. We appreciate both the land owner’s and the Bureau of Land Management’s diligence, commitment and persistence with this process.”

Commissioner Linke celebrated that Blue Valley Ranch is expected to develop a new recreation area near Kremmling at no cost to the taxpayers. Located at the confluence of the Blue and Colorado Rivers, the recreation area will provide new walking trails, fishing access, enhancements for river floaters, a picnic spot and more.  

The board of the Headwaters Chapter of Trout Unlimited, a local chapter of a national nonprofit, also celebrates the exchange, as it will improve aquatic habitat in a 1-mile section of the Blue River. The section is located at the confluence of the Colorado River, one of the most critical rivers for the health of the nation.

In the press release, Headwaters Chapter President Kirk Klancke applauded Blue Valley Ranch for helping improve this stretch of the river.

“This project will have positive impacts on the aquatic ecosystem in this stream and reach downstream on the Colorado River,” Klancke said in the release. “This puts the headwaters of the Colorado River 1 mile closer to returning to a healthy aquatic ecosystem.”

Concern for what may be lost in the exchange

While the land exchange has been widely celebrated, other groups in the past have voiced doubts that what will be gained is greater than what will be lost.

In particular, Colorado Wild Public Lands has been opposed. The nonprofit organization monitors land exchanges throughout the state, and has been a critic of the exchange since 2021. In March 2023, Colorado Wild Public Lands filed a protest to the BLM. The nonprofit feared the once-public parcels of natural habitat could be developed in the future.

“Our concerns center around inadequate protections for federal lands, language that restricts public usage and fails to guarantee touted public benefits, faulty appraisals, and policy violations that would set dangerous land exchange precedent,” public lands wrote on its website on why it filed the protest.

Some nearby community members disagreed with the exchange when it was approved in January. These included private property owners who live near the Blue River, and fishing guides and recreational anglers who have long enjoyed public access to their favorite spots.  

While these concerns revolved around losing access to points of the river as it becomes privatized, proponents such as Klanke have stated these fears are unfounded.

“The land exchange will also create far more public access to Gold Medal water than it will take away,” Klanke stated in 2023. “We look at this land exchange as a gift because it will move us 1 mile closer to restoring the headwaters of the Colorado River.”

This article includes reporting from Lindsey Toomer and Ryan Spencer of Summit Daily. The BLM and owner of Blue Valley Ranch have not yet formally closed on the exchange. More information and maps of the land exchange is available at the BLM National NEPA Register website.