Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates is excited to announce we’ve been awarded a $45,000 grant from Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO)—approved by the Colorado Parks and Wildlife Commission—to support the NEPA planning process for a short but significant segment that will connect our new Forest Lakes #7 (FL7) Trail with USFS Trail 715: the Monument Trail, locally known as the Stoopid Trail below Mt Herman.
Why this is a big deal
At one mile in length, our proposed trail is relatively short —but it represents a major breakthrough in public land access and advocacy. If the NEPA process associated with this work is approved, it will be the first new trail—excluding reroutes—approved in the Pikes Peak USFS Ranger district in over 20 years.
One small step for trail building, one giant leap for trail advocacy.
A MedWheel member’s dream becomes a regional connection
This project builds on our recent construction of the FL7 trail, located on Forest Lakes Metro District (FLMD) property. That trail began as a MedWheel member suggestion (thank you Brad!!) and became reality through collaboration with FLMD and Classic Communities. Now open to the public, the FL7 trail links directly to the El Paso County Santa Fe Regional Trail, a vital nonmotorized corridor along the front range.
This new connector will extend the FL7 trail west to the Stoopid Trail (USFS Trail 715), unlocking legal, sustainable access into the Mount Herman trail system on National Forest.
A new gateway for the entire region
Because this connection ties into the Santa Fe Trail, it provides access for all 750,000 residents of El Paso County and beyond—not just the nearby, rapidly growing neighborhoods. It’s a gateway from the regional trail network into National Forest that will serve hikers, bikers, and other trail users for generations.
Currently, there is evidence of user-created non-system trails that make this connection—damaging fragile soils and threatening wildlife habitat. This project replaces them with a modern singletrack trail that encourages responsible use while protecting the land.
Recreation and conservation—working together
This project is a model for how recreation and conservation can work in synergy, not just in balance or in opposition. The trail lies near habitat for the Preble’s Meadow Jumping Mouse, a federally protected species under the Endangered Species Act. The NEPA process will ensure the trail avoids sensitive areas, offering both a needed recreational connection and a measurable conservation benefit.
Supporting regional outdoor priorities
This trail concept is rooted in years of effort by MedWheel and partners, through the Pikes Peak Outdoor Regional Partnership (OPPI)—part of Colorado’s statewide vision for aligning outdoor access with conservation. MedWheel has helped shape OPPI’s regional framework and advocated for this specific connector at both local and state levels. The connector provides an example of a sustainable trail that meets growing recreational demand while also actively improving conservation outcomes.
PPORA, the organization in our region that convenes the OPPI, provided supporting documents for the grant application, because the trail meets the new OPPI structure for evaluating trial opportunities.
A collaborative and coordinated effort
MedWheel is leading this project, with ERO Resources conducting the environmental review, and support from:
- Pikes Peak Ranger District (USFS)
- Key partners including Friends of Monument Preserve, PPORA, Classic Communities, and FLMD
- Coordinating input and support from the Town of Monument, El Paso County, and Palmer Land Conservancy, who provided helpful input and letters of support
We’re deeply grateful to GOCO, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, and our trail community for making this visionary step possible.
What’s next
The NEPA process begins in 2025, and—if approved—construction could start in 2026. While the trail may be short in distance, it sets a powerful precedent for sustainable, strategic trail connections on federal lands in our region.
👉 Learn more and support our work: MedWheel.org
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