New recreational area opens Saturday
UPDATE: As of Friday evening, all reservations for the six scheduled open days this month have been sold.
A 9,000-acre section under Pikes Peak that was the first water supply for Colorado Springs will open as a recreational area this weekend.
The South Slope of Pikes Peak previously was closed to the general public as a strategy to protect three reservoirs — Boehmer, Mason and McReynolds. However, a demand for more fishing and more public access to recreational areas led city leaders and Colorado Springs Utilities to begin a public use plan for the area in 2007.
Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Colorado State Trails, the city’s Trails, Open Space and Parks program, and Utilities contributed $1.2 million to develop trails and other facilities on the South Slope. Volunteers also helped develop trails.
The South Slope offers 6 miles of trails, along with limited fishing and boating. The area includes wetlands and habitat for bighorn sheep. The elevation ranges from 10,500 feet to 12,000 feet.
To protect the area, the number of visitors per day is being limited. The parking lot holds 16 vehicles and admission is by reservation only for a $15 fee. Dogs are not allowed.
“We’ll be very careful initially, see how the public does,” said City Councilwoman Jan Martin. “The only way we’d possibly consider opening to a broader public audience is if the public is very careful and maintains what we have up there.”
Future plans include a slightly larger parking lot and connecting the trail system.
“We truly have a gem with the South Slope,” said Sarah Bryarly, landscape architect for the city’s Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services. “We want to make sure that we’re being respectful and responsible in our planning process.”
The South Slope will be open during the day on Oct. 4, 5, 9, 10, 11 and 12, then closed for the season. The area will fully reopen next summer. Although the area is directly 20 miles from the city, driving there takes at least 90 minutes through Teller County.
For more information, visit: www.springsgov.com/ssreserve.
