COLORADO SPRINGS – Work is underway to reroute two of the most visible and heavily used trails at Garden of the Gods. The Foothills Trail runs the length of the park, north to south along 30th street. The gateway trail goes from the visitor center into the park east to west.
By the end of the year the two trails will follow new paths. The gateway trail gets some fixes on the pavement portion and a new route on the gravel portion to the south gravel. The area also serves the Rock Ledge Ranch where overflow and event parking cross over the trail. Moving the trail lessens the interaction between pedestrians and cars.
The goal with the Gateway Trail is to get it further from the road going into the park. The new route will go through meadows and trees to create more interaction with the parks beauty. Upgrades will also to make the trail available to people with disabilities. “So now folks who would like to park either at the Visitor and Nature Center or at the overflow lot can walk into the park on a route that’s appropriate for that accessibility,” said Colorado Springs Parks and Culture Services, Senior Landscape Architect, David Deitemeyer.
Hikers and bikers will still be able to access the area during the construction. “What we are anticipating is the majority of the construction will actually happen off existing trails, because they are being realigned to new locations,” said Deitemeyer, “So that gives us the opportunity to maintain open and accessible trails for the time being.”
There is a warning to be aware and watch for heavy equipment on the move, some detours, and some short term closures.
