For the first time in over 100 years the public is going to be allowed to recreate on the formerly forbidden south slope of Pikes Peak. Access to the pristine area has been restricted by Colorado Springs Utilities for decades, but now the Colorado Springs Department of Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services has been awarded $400,000 in grants from the state of Colorado to help fund the development of a new park on the south side of the peak in the Seven Lakes Area.
The new south slope park has been in the planning stages for the past two years and hoped to be ready for public use by the summer of 2014.
The area in question, a proposed new 2,840 acre park on both sides of the Teller/El Paso county line, includes McReynolds Reservoir, Mason Reservoir and Boehmer Reservoir in the Seven Lakes area above Cheyenne Canyon and below the summit of Pikes Peak.
Access into the area is from the Gold Camp Road, and concerns were raised about increased traffic on the dirt road, which is one lane in places and passes through narrow historic Cripple Creek Short Line Railroad tunnels. If traffic levels exceed 99 cars per day, the road will have to be improved to accommodate the additional use, but how this would be accomplished is not clear. Other concerns include an increase in the trash in the area, as some recreationists are slobs, and garbage can create wildlife conflicts, detract from the natural beauty, and lower water quality.
For further information and the complete article at The Mountain Jackpot, click here.
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