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Oprah Winfrey Sued Over Trail Access Near Telluride

TELLURIDE, Colo. (CBS4) – An 86-year-old nuclear physicist is suing Oprah Winfrey over access to some of Colorado's most beautiful hiking trails.

Charles D. Goodman claims Winfrey and her company, Yellow Brick Road, have purchased land for almost $10.9 million and planning on building a mega-mansion high above Telluride.

"I don't care if Oprah is a neighbor, but if she is going to cut off access to trials, I don't find that acceptable," Goodman said to the Denver Post.

The trails were originally owned by the U.S. forest Service but when they traded the land away, they made sure public access to the trail was included in the deal, according to Goodman.

In his claim, Goodman says that "the public access was included in every subsequent deal involving the land, but once Oprah's company took over the access was taken away."

"I have no objection to Oprah building a house," Goodman told TMZ. "But I do not like the idea of being blocked off by gates and fences."

"It is our hope that we can work together on a usage plan that is mutually agreeable," a representative from the company said in a statement.

The lawsuit was filed in the San Miguel County District court.

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