Bear Creek Watershed Meeting and Feedback

February 25th, 2014

Pipeline Trail

The trails in the Bear Creek drainage are some of the most popular trails in the Pikes Peak region. Recent testing has revealed that the fish in Bear Creek (approximately 750 adults) are the sole remaining genetically pure population of greenback cutthroat trout. The population is currently listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. It seems strange that such a heavily used area is the only place that the fish have survived.

I’ve been hiking and riding these trails for over 25 years. Here’s a Jones Park ride report from a couple years ago. The Ring the Peak mountain bike race also uses these trails.

The US Forest Service was sued by environmental groups for not sufficiently protected these fish. In the fall of 2012, Bear Creek Trail (666) and Captain Jacks Trail (667) were closed to dirt bikes and camping was prohibited in the area.

Last fall the Forest Service got public input on trail closures to all users and alternative re-routes. Now they’re getting public input on proposed changes.

There’s an open house tonight (2/25/14) at the Colorado Springs Utilities’ Leon Young Service Center, 1521 Hancock Expressway from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. If you can’t make tonight’s meeting, you use the comment link on their web page through March 27th..

There’s information about the proposed trail and access changes on the Bear Creek Watershed Assessment & NEPA page on the Forest Service website. The good news is they’re proposing rerouting trails and not completely closing the area although it appears Jones Park itself would be off-limits. It appears to me from the maps that Alternative B keeps most of trail 666 except for the cool section right near the current Captain Jack intersection. Alternative C shows 666 as being closed which would be a real bummer.

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Red Rocks, Section 16 and White Acres Trails

September 11th, 2012

Red Rocks Open Space

The next Master Plan meeting for Red Rocks Open Space, Section 16 and White Acres is tonight at 6:30. It is being held at the Westside Community Center, 1628 W. Bijou St. The focus of tonight’s meeting is trails.

Info on trails in the areas and other information on the Master Plan process is posted on the Colorado Springs website. The schedule of future meetings for those open spaces is also posted there.

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New Trail in Pikes Peak Region

June 24th, 2010

Thomas Trail - Green Mountain Falls, Colorado

Add a new trail to the impressive network that begins in Green Mountain Falls. The Kirkpatrick Trail officially opens Sunday with a community hike.  The trail opened last year, and connects more than two miles of trails built by the late H.B. Wallace to more than five miles of trails in the town of Green Mountain Falls.  Dedication ceremonies will begin at 10 a.m. at the H.B. Wallace Reserve Trailhead, located at 10199 Mountain Road in Chipita Park.  Hikers are asked to park in the large lot on Ute Pass Avenue at the east entrance to Green Mountain Falls and hike up Mountain Road to the trailhead.  Parking along Mountain Road is not recommended. Following the ceremony, members of the Green Mountain Falls Trails Committee will conduct guided hikes on the trails system.

The trail is narrow and shaded, and even though it never strays far from houses, it offers a feeling of solitude.  Connect this trail with the Thomas Trail and the Catamount Trail, and you have an entire day of hiking through mixed pine forests.  Compared to those two, Kirkpatrick is relatively easy, with a small stream crossing and a little stepping up on boulders.  Our favorite way to reach the eastern trailhead for Thomas or Kirkpatrick: Park by the lake downtown, and check the trail map posted there.  Head up to the east; check out Kirkpatrick and then head back and pick up Thomas.  Save Catamount for another day – it’s known for its steep switchbacks as it takes hikers up to the shore of Catamount Reservoir.

– Deb Acord

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