Larimer County begins restoration of Heaven’s Door Ranch

LARIMER COUNTY — Larimer County’s Department of Natural Resources has begun restoration and planning efforts on the newly acquired open space that was called Heaven’s Door Ranch near the mouth of the Big Thompson Canyon. The 1,547-acre property may be open for public view as soon as this summer.

According to a press statement from the county, preparing the property for public access included deconstruction and removal of a residence and several outbuildings. The county contracted with Delehoy Construction Inc. of Fort Collins, the nonprofit National Center for Craftsmanship of Greeley, and GL Hoff Co. of Loveland to sell, repurpose, or recycle most building materials on site.

The county said that 53 tons of material from the project were sold, repurposed, or recycled, diverting material from the Larimer County landfill and saving more than $14,000 in haul off costs. Additionally, 60 high school students used the project to learn about the construction trades. 

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The property will be returned to its natural state, including its views, grasslands and hogbacks, the county said. Non-native Russian olive trees and noxious weeds will be removed.

Beginning this summer, staff-guided public tours will offer access to the open space. Future public access will be determined in 2026, the county said, with construction of public access facilities to occur in 2027-2029. Permanent opening date is set for 2030.

“We are excited to share opportunities for the public as early as this summer to experience the open space before we begin our management planning,” Daylan Figgs, director of the Department of Natural Resources, said in a written statement. “We look forward to engaging the community throughout each phase of the process.”