Ribbon cuttings, trail crossing opens, and the cspd hot team talks trails
Mt. Cutler Trailhead parking lot now open, improvements completed
The Mt. Cutler Trailhead parking lot, located on North Cheyenne Canyon Road is open following the expansion and paving of the former gravel lot. Improvements include asphalt paving in addition to adding curb and gutter, signage, and defined parking spaces. Additional improvements were made to the Mt. Cutler Trail at the developed trailhead as well as at the Creekside Trail with enhanced sustainable access to North Cheyenne Creek.
Picture Credit: City of Colorado Springs
Sand Creek Trail crossing at Hancock Expressway
Last Thursday, the City of Colorado Springs held the ribbon cutting for the Sand Creek Trail pedestrian-operated signalized crossing of Hancock Expressway. This crossing and new trail segment establish the first urban trail connection into and out of Southeast Colorado Springs and provides direct access to the Pikes Peak Greenway. It was great seeing Mayor Suthers wielding the oversized scissors as he cut the red ribbon for this long-awaited project!
The crossing, along with the ~900 foot eastern continuation of the Sand Creek Trail, was paid for with $1,000,000 in TOPS tax revenue. Stormwater and PPRTA funding also supported the project. We’d like to thank the many departments and agencies that came together to make this critical connectivity project possible: City of COS Traffic Engineering, Stormwater Enterprise, Parks, Pikes Peak Rural Transit Authority (PPRTA), Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) and to you, the voters that recently passed the TOPS ballot initiative, securing funding for important projects like this well into the future!
PARK AND TRAIL News
30th Street Corridor Project
Ribbon Cutting Event
11 a.m., Friday, June 2
The City of Colorado Springs cordially invites you to attend the 30th Street Corridor Project ribbon cutting.
Where: A ribbon cutting ceremony will occur at the northeast corner of Garden of the Gods parking lot located at Gateway Road. Take 30th Street to Gateway Road, turn into the parking lot located directly south of Gateway Road near Rock Ledge Ranch. Park your car, then walk toward the Foothills Trail at the northeast corner of the parking lot. CLICK HERE to view map.
Why: The 30th Street Corridor project is substantially complete and will be open to traffic prior to the Memorial Day holiday.
Program Speakers:
- Mayor John Suthers
- City Councilor Dave Donelson
- Deputy Public Works Director Gayle Sturdivant, PE
- Colorado Springs Fire Department Chief Randy Royal
- Director of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Britt Haley
RSVP: Not necessary
Questions: Call 719-315-3102 or email 30thStImprovements@gmail.com
The event will take place rain or shine.
2023 Get Outdoors Day
Sat., June 3rd , 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
Prospect Lake in Memorial Park
The 5th annual Get Outdoors Day is coming up on June 3rd at Prospect Lake in Colorado Springs. This free family event featuring outdoor activities and opportunities from a 20+ outdoor organizations, agencies, and vendors. This year’s event will have archery, fishing, paddle boarding, kayaking, relay races and more! The first 800 attendees will receive a free fishing pole from Colorado Parks and Wildlife.
Want to learn more about the Blodgett Open Space mater plan process? The outreach team from COS Parks will have a table at the event with information to share about the future of Blodgett.
Glad You Asked:
We love it when you ask us questions because we’re quite sure if you want to know the answer, others do too!
Terre asked if e-bikes legal to use in the Pineries Open Space.
They are not.
Class 1 and Class 2 electric bikes are allowed on El Paso County’s primary and secondary trails like New Santa Fe Trail, Fountain Creek Regional Trail and Bear Creek Trail.
Photo courtesy of El Paso County
Green Mountain Falls Updates
Congratulations to the Green Mountain Falls Trail Ambassadors! This volunteer program kicked off its third season with engaging with 137 hikers over Memorial Day weekend. In the fall of 2020, TOSC helped launch the program by training the first class of volunteers and setting the program up to be continued by the Town’s Parks Committee.
Starting this week, Mile High Youth Corps will initiate a fire mitigation project on the Thomas Trail.
The trail will be closed Monday through Thursday until approximately July 21st.
The Friends of Ute Pass Trails are off to a successful start to the trail maintenance season. They recently did maintenance work on the Catamount Trail switchbacks and cleared debris from the creek to help the water stay within its banks. The FoUPT also led a field trip for Ute Pass Elementary School 1st and 2nd graders in the Wallace Preserve Trail System to learn about native trees and other hiking tips.
Trail Volunteers Needed
Thursday, June 1st
This is an important week in an attempt to complete the trail linking Bristol Park with the Mesa Open Space. The heavy work of clearing trees from the canal is finished, but there is plenty of shoveling, raking, and general cleanup left to do Thursday, June 1st.
National Trails Day
Sat., June 3rd
The 31st National Trails Day will be taking place this Saturday and is a day of public events celebrating trail service and advocacy.
Thousands of people, land managers, organizations, businesses and user groups across the nation come together to take part in cleanups, trail maintenance days and other events that spread the word for how critical trails to our communities.
Local National Trails Day Events:
- RMFI workday in Stratton Open Space – June 3rd (More Information)
- Guardians of Palmer Park workday in Palmer Park – June 3rd (More Information)
- COSMBA workday in Austin Bluffs Open Space – June 3rd (More Information)
- CPW workday on the Lost Pond Loop in Mueller State Park – June 3rd (More Information)
- SOCO Trail Builders workday on the Carhart Trail in Pueblo Mountain Park – June 10th (More Information)
Learn more about National Trails Day from the American Hiking Association
Woodland Park PRTOS Master Plan – PUBLIC DRAFT
Review and comment by 6/12/23.
The Woodland Park Parks, Recreation, Trails, and Open Space Master Plan is in the public review phase prior to its anticipated adoption in July. The draft plan reflects the guidance of the community as collected throughout the year-long planning process. The plan identifies specific recommendations for the next 10+ years of the City’s investment in parks, recreation, trails, and open space.
You can review the plan, comment, and respond to others’ comments in the document viewer found here.
TOSC
The CSPD HOT Speaks to TOSC
Two members of the Colorado Springs P.D. HOT (Homeless Outreach Team) explained the work they do with our unhoused population. As members of the COS Police Department their job is to enforce city regulations. In our community, many of the people experiencing homelessness are self-treating physical and mental health problems with drugs or alcohol. The officers stated that in their opinion, more than 90% are using drugs contributing to criminal activity. They explained that they approach their job with compassion and first and foremost try to get people into treatment and permanent housing when at all possible. The CSPD HOT usually has 3 teams of 2 officers. They are currently looking to fill one position. They work with clean-up crews to remove the camps from city property but say they are sensitive to salvaging backpacks that can contain identification and personal property.
Eight other agencies from around the state have contacted the CSPD HOT to learn from them. When asked which parts of our urban trail system users should be cautious to use, they responded with “Pikes Peak Greenway between Cimarron and S. Nevada.” Assaults on trail users are uncommon but do happen.
Fox Run Nature Center
We were pleased to attend the recently-held Fox Run Nature Center public meeting hosted by El Paso County Parks and Recreation. This exciting new project gave the public a chance to review the draft concepts developed by the consultants and provide feedback on the project elements shown. They have designed a truly unique building and site that will take in the best of the Black Forest environment and provide an unparalleled experience in our region.
Building upon the vision of the Northen El Paso County Nature Center Master Interpretive Plan (from 2020), the team will incorporate the public input and continue to refine the design. We look forward to providing updates and will share the date of the next public meeting once it becomes available. To find out more about the process and how you can help support this effort, visit the project webpage: Fox Run Nature Center
TOSC Member Hike
Saturday, June 17th
8 AM
Join Hiking Bob in North Cheyenne Canon Park. Bob championed the completion of the Mt Muscoco Trail during his time leading the NCC Friends Group. We’ll be hiking the Sweetwater Canyon Trails.
This is a moderate to strenuous hike of between 4 to 6 miles.
Not sure your membership is current? Contact Sheridan at sheridan@trailsandopenspaces.org and find out!
Sign-up available next week.
We Need Volunteers for Starlight Spectacular!
Please save the date – the evening of Saturday, August 5th
We’ll need help with Registration, Course Marshalls, and other fun positions. Watch for a link to sign-up and thanks!
Community Events
Coffee & Conservation
June 3, 2023 8:00 AM – Noon
Conservation & Environmental Center
2855 Mesa Road
Colorado Springs, CO 80904
Join CSU as they host free Coffee & Conservation events the first Saturday of every month through September.
Drop by and enjoy a free cup of joe while specialists share watering and landscaping tips.
Guests are also welcome to tour the free demonstration gardens.
June Wildflower Walk
Led by Carey Harrington
Colorado Native Plant Master
Saturday, June 3rd, 2023
Walk begins at 10:00 am and will last 1 1/2 to 2 hours
Meet at the W. Fontanero St. parking lot of Monument Valley Park
(Intersection of W. Fontanero Street and Culebra Avenue)
RSVPs are REQUIRED
Please RSVP at info@fmvp.net
We are limiting participation to 20 individuals.
Bring: Water, sturdy shoes, sunscreen, pen & paper, and camera, if you like.
NO PETS please!
Wildflower Photography Workshop
June 10th
9AM – 11AM
One of our favorite partners – Hiking Bob – is offering a wildflower photography workshop June 10th at Garden of the Gods Park. Bob’s photographs appear in the COS Parks Dept annual calendar.
Bob will start in the Red Rocks Room with tips and tricks to photography out in the Garden. Then participants will hike with Bob out into the park.
Whether you shoot your pictures with a cell phone or with an actual camera, there’s always room for improvement. For more information, and to sign up, click here.
Volunteers for Outdoor Colorado:
Pride Month Project-Restoration @ Austin Bluffs
Sat., June 10th, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
It is time for VOC’s annual Pride Project! VOC wants to take this opportunity to celebrate the LGBTQIA community with an awesome stewardship event followed by a happy hour celebration. This project offers a variety of stewardship opportunities. There is a mix of ecological restoration, closing unsanctioned social trails, and constructing some new trail. Austin Bluffs is a beautiful site located near the heart of Colorado Springs. No matter your skill level or experience, this is an awesome opportunity to build community around the shared values of Pride and environmental stewardship.
Pikes Peak Trail CATS
Work Day
Saturday, June 10, 2023
Mustang Way – Manitou Springs
Help build a brand new trail from the High School to the Intemann Trail. This is an all volunteer project building a multi-use , sustainable trail (1130 feet, ave 8% grade, and 100 feet rock work.*)