Prominent local landmark

BOULDER COUNTY

Parks and Open Space representatives to buy Haystack Mountain for $6.2 million

Drivers can see Haystack Mountain, left, and the foothills when driving west on Colo. 52. Boulder County representatives said they will buy the property for $6.2 million later this month. MATTHEW JONAS — STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

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By Dana Cadey

dcadey@prairiemountainmedia.com

Haystack Mountain, the prominent 5,579-foot peak between Boulder and Longmont, is set to become Boulder County open space property.

Boulder County plans to close on a $6.2 million purchase of 105 acres of land at 5655 Niwot Road on Oct. 22. The property sits between the Boulder Feeder Canal to the south and Oxford Road to the north, and includes the Haystack Mountain peak. Sotheby’s International Realty had a $9.5 million listing for the property.

Boulder County open space representatives bid on the land when the Haystack Living Trust took the property to auction in September. The purchase includes around $200,000 for water rights on the property.

“The county is very excited about this acquisition,” said Janis Whisman, real estate division manager for Boulder County Parks and Open Space. “This has been a community priority since the 1970s, so it’s been on our wish list for a very long time.”

Whisman said Haystack Mountain was one of several properties identified in the county’s comprehensive plan, which was adopted in 1978. In the comprehensive plan, Haystack was designated as a natural landmark.The types of land Boulder County acquires for open space are community buffers; agricultural land and water; property with cultural resources; habitats for plants and wildlife; property for passive recreation; and property that provides scenic views and viewsheds.

Whisman called Haystack Mountain a scenic piece of land that is recognizable to the public, which is the main reason behind the county’s decision to acquire it. She said the property also has the potential for agricultural use.

“It’s been on the list of important properties in the county since that mid-1970s timeframe,” Whisman said. “It’s an iconic property, of course, because you can see it from quite a ways away.”

The 105 acres are currently owned by the Haystack Living Trust. The family has owned the land for nearly 60 years.

Members of the Haystack Living Trust also used to own and operate Haystack Mountain Golf Course at 5877 Niwot Road. The nine-hole course opened in 1966 and was well-known in the community. Developer Michael Markel, who owns Markel Homes Inc., bought that property in April 2021 for about $6 million, with plans to divide the roughly 100 acres into three parcels.

While also owned by the Haystack Living Trust, the 105-acre Haystack Mountain parcel was never used for the golf course.

Haystack Mountain will be closed to the public while Boulder County finalizes its plans for the property.