A test spike strip placed at a popular Horsetooth Reservoir recreation area to reduce criminal activity and rangers' hours has instead raised the ire of some visitors.

The strip, which was installed a month ago at the exit of the Rotary Park Day Use Area, has been deactivated by Larimer County Parks and Open Lands. Mark Caughlan, the agency's Horsetooth Reservoir manager, said the strip will be deactivated until he and other land managers and law enforcement officials meet with Larimer County Commissioners on Oct. 7 to discuss the impacts of increasing visitation and criminal activity on the east side of the reservoir.

The reservoir sees more than 1 million visitors annually.

The deactivation didn't come soon enough for frequent Larimer County Open Space user Brent Dennis. He believes the spike strip at Rotary Park is dangerous and can be costly to unsuspecting visitors.

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Dennis said he came upon an elderly couple who entered the Rotary Park parking lot the wrong way, from the north entrance, on Aug 18. When they drove over the spike strip, it flattened at least three if not four of their vehicle’s tires, Dennis said. The couple, who he guessed were in their 60s or 70s, was embarrassed and "out of sorts'' when he approached them to help, he added.

The couple was able to drive their vehicle to a spot where it could be towed.

"The places I’ve seen spike strips are not overlook parking lots but at border crossings and really important installations,'' said Dennis, a Timnath resident who said he traveled extensively when he was in the U.S. Marines for 26 years. "This is a gross overplay of whatever control method they deem is necessary.''

He added those realizing they are entering the wrong way are forced to back up on to Centennial Drive (Larimer County Road 23E), creating a dangerous situation.

Caughlan said it is unfortunate that three vehicles have driven into the spike strip since it was placed. He added the spike strip is clearly marked and that the county spent considerable time on where to place the strip at Rotary Park to allow ample time not to cross it and the opportunity back up without creating a safety hazard on Centennial Drive.

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He said the strip was placed at Rotary Park to allow those visitors who stayed past the sunset closure to be able to drive out while not allowing others to enter the fee area. The gate at the south end of the parking lot automatically closes at sunset. Before the strip was installed as part of an overall renovation of the fee area, Caughlan said rangers spent considerable time locating visitors whose vehicles were still in the parking lot past the sunset closure period and getting them to leave the park.

The strip was also placed to help reduce a growing criminal activity on the east side of the reservoir, including alcohol, drugs and vandalism, he said.

He added many of the electronic closure gates have been severely damaged by vehicles ramming into them at a cost of $1,500 per gate.

"The nexus for the strip wasn’t traffic control but a way to keep visitors safe,'' Caughlan said. "It was taking our rangers two to four hours a night kicking people out of the day-use areas. And after having so many gates damaged and replacing them, I was just wasting good money after bad. We didn’t just come up with the idea to install road strips now. It has been an evolutionary process as the criminal activity there has increased.''

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The other spike strip is located at South Bay, another fee area. It was installed in April and is still activated.

Caughlan said that strip was put in place as a solution to state and federal requirements that each boat entering Horsetooth Reservoir be inspected for aquatic nuisance species. In summer, inspectors are at the reservoir until late evening. The strip is down when the area is open and up when it is closed. This allows boaters to leave after the area is closed while preventing others from entering the area.

Miles Blumhardt looks for stories that impact your life — be it news, outdoors, sports, you name it he wants to report it. Have a story idea, send it his way. Email him at milesblumhardt@coloradoan.com or find him on Twitter at @MilesBlumhardt. If you find value in these stories, support Miles and the other journalists at the Coloradoan by subscribing atColoradoan.com/subscribe