COLORADO—The discovery of radon shuttered Roosevelt National Forest's Buckhorn Ranger Station’s doors in 2010; shortly after that, the High Park Fire burned over 87,000 acres in the area.

“A lot of people evacuated and never came back. It kind of fractured the little society we had up here, and it just never returned,” said Tom Hammond, a fourth-generation resident of the area.

As the sense of abandonment radiated throughout the canyon, broken windows and minor damage started appearing around the compound. Unable to justify the cost of repairs under looming budgetary constraints, officials began to question the damaged compound’s value to the community. That was until destructive vandalism in 2017, vandalism that kickstarted preservation efforts for the historic ranger station.

“It wasn’t irreparable, but it was definitely the worst I’ve seen,” said Larry Fullenkamp, Roosevelt National Forest archaeologist. “It really set things into motion.”

The extent of the vandalism highlighted the need for a renewed presence in the area, leading to the allocation of $6,000 for repairs—funding it likely wouldn’t have received otherwise. Buckhorn got the final funding push it needed for full renovation when Congress passed the Great American Outdoors Act, the only catch being that cabins would need to support recreation to be eligible. In addition, the Great American Outdoors Act opened up further funding opportunities.

As the forest lacked available rental cabins, Buckhorn was perfectly positioned to take on such a role.

With funding for renovations and rental eligibility approved, work at Buckhorn Ranger Station will begin this summer. The cabin is expected to be available for the public to reserve in the years to come, improving access and recreational opportunity in the community.