Hikers: When will Blodgett Peak reopen?

A hikers paradise is still shut down because of the Waldo Canyon Fire and Colorado Springs officials say it will take months to determine when the Blodgett Peak Open Space will reopen.

“A lot of us miss just being able to walk there. it is a beautiful open space,” said Georgeann Baum.

Baum and her dog Indigo would regularly hike in the open space. Baum said the area looks healthy and green, but said she understands there are safety concerns that are not so easily visible.

Kurt Schroeder with the Colorado Springs Parks Department said many of the trails were not damaged, but the soil was and that could create unexpected problems.

The Trails and Open Space Coalition met with the city Tuesday morning to discuss how to better keep hikers in the loop and what a realistic timeline for reopening Blodgett Peak looks like.

Susan Davies, the executive director of the Trails and Open Space Coalition said volunteers with the organization have help reseed the area, but agrees that a big rain fall or snow could cause problems.

“It is very susceptible to damage, so we are very concerned about the resource.
The other piece is that we don’t know what the winter is going to be like
we don’t know what a hard rain or heavy snow is going to do,” said Davies.

If the Blodgett Peak open space reacts well to wet weather during the winter, it could be reopened as early as the spring.