Aggressive moose with calf closes popular trail "indefinitely" in Colorado

A popular trail in the Aspen area has been closed indefinitely due to the presence of aggressive moose.

According to Pitkin County officials, there are two mother moose, each with a calf, frequenting the area of East of Aspen Trail near North Star Nature Preserve. The closure has been put in place to keep humans away from the animals and avoid potential conflicts, as moose are known to act defensively when offspring are nearby. In this case, one of the cow moose has reportedly been charging trail users.

Officials noted that the nearby Beach area may also be subject to closure in the future depending on where moose are at. A voluntary closure for paddlers at North Star Nature Preserve is also in effect, with signs posted at the South Gate launch site.

The portion of the trail that has been shut down is the section between the South Gate parking lot and the North Star takeout point.

Pitkin County Open Space and Trails rangers have been regularly patrolling the area as they continue to monitor the situation.

“Respecting the closure is crucial for everyone's safety. We don’t want harm to come to anyone, including the moose,” said Ranger Supervisor Rick Norman.

While many people tend to overlook risks associated with moose as they're not a carnivorous predator such as a mountain lion or wolf, moose can pose a major threat to outdoor recreators.

Moose have been known to charge and trample people and pets, with encounters often being a bit of surprise due to the species' camouflaged nature and tendency to lurk in dense and shadowed flora.

The presence of moose make it crucial to keep dogs on leash while on the trail in Colorado, as moose have a tendency to trample dogs on sight. This has resulted in the deaths of dogs before in Colorado.

If a moose is spotted ahead on the trail, move away in the opposite direction and give the animal time to clear the area. If a moose starts to charge, aim to put some sort of large object, such as a tree or rock, between yourself and the moose.

Find additional information about this situation here .

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