Weld County, CO Public Conduct: Loitering Rules (2026)
Key Facts
- Governing section
- Weld County Code § 17-3-40(K)(4)
- Defined by
- C.R.S. § 18-9-112 (state loitering definition)
- Applies to
- County trails and designated parking areas
- Enforced by
- Weld County Sheriff, County Court
- First-offense fine
- $25 to $50, or $25 assessment
- Offense class
- Class 2 petty offense
Summary
Weld County's trail code bans loitering outright: Section 17-3-40(K)(4) makes it unlawful to loiter on any county trail or its designated parking area, borrowing the definition of 'loiter' from C.R.S. § 18-9-112. The same subsection also bans entering a posted-closed trail, misusing bridge guardrails, and ignoring regulatory signage.
K.Use restrictions:1.To enter, use or occupy a trail which is posted against such entry, use or occupancy.2.To use any portion of a trail for other than its intended purposes. This prohibition includes, without limitation, walking or sitting on, or jumping or fishing from, bridge guardrails.3.To deliberately disobey regulatory signs on a trail.4.To loiter on a trail or a designated parking area, as that term is defined in Section 18-9-112, C.R.S.L.Fires: To burn fires on a trail without the express written consent of the Board of County Commissioners.M.Alcohol: To consume alcoholic beverages on a trail or designated parking area.N.Miscellaneous:1.To collect seeds, plants or cuttings of trees, shrubs, vines, grasses, wildflowers or other plants from a trail or adjacent properties.2.To fly a model airplane over or launch a model rocket from a trail.3.To drive, hit or throw golf balls onto or from a trail.4.To post a notice, including fastening or showing cards, posters or other materials.5.To knowingly or negligently allow or direct a minor child to engage in conduct or acts which are prohibited herein. (Weld County Codification Ordinance 2000-1; Weld County Code Ordinance 2020-05)
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Charter and County Code: Supplement 95).
Full Breakdown
Article III of Chapter 17 regulates conduct on every trail the County owns and operates, and Section 17-3-40(K) groups four 'use restriction' offenses under one heading. S. Rather than writing its own definition, the County borrows the state statute's meaning of loitering, so what counts as unlawful loitering on a Weld County trail tracks the state's own definition rather than a locally invented standard. The same K subsection bans entering or occupying a trail that is posted against entry, misusing a trail for anything other than its intended purpose (the code specifically calls out walking, sitting, jumping or fishing from bridge guardrails), and deliberately disobeying any regulatory sign.
Because the loitering ban sits inside Article III's general prohibitions, it is enforced the same way as every other trail offense: the Weld County Sheriff cites violators under Section 17-3-20, and the County Court hears the case under simplified county court procedure, with the County Attorney prosecuting in the name of the People of the State of Colorado. The ban applies only to County-owned and County-operated trails and their posted parking areas, not to sidewalks, streets or private property elsewhere in the unincorporated county.
Violations & Fines
Loitering on a county trail or its parking area is a Class 2 petty offense under Section 17-3-50, carrying a mandatory fine of $25 to $50 for a first conviction, $50 to $100 for a second, and $100 to $300 for a third or subsequent conviction. A judge can suspend any fine above the mandatory minimum if the violator completes eight hours of community service on a first offense, or sixteen hours on a repeat offense. First-time violators may instead pay a $25 penalty assessment to the County Treasurer.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is loitering illegal on Weld County trails?
What counts as loitering under this rule?
What is the penalty for loitering on a trail?
Who enforces the loitering ban on county trails?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Weld County
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