Nearly 4 years after his passing, Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates, along with our partners at Trails and Open Space Coalition and the El Pomar Foundation, are thrilled to announce that the City of Colorado Springs is naming a section of the Rock Island Trail the Lee Milner Trail.
The proposal will be considered by the Parks Advisory Board on August 13, 2026. Once approved, it will create a lasting tribute to one of the most influential conservation and trails advocates in the history of the Pikes Peak region.
A Promise Kept
When Lee passed away in December 2022, many of us felt that simply remembering him wasn’t enough.
Lee’s life’s work is visible across Colorado Springs, yet there was no permanent place where future generations could discover who he was and what he helped create. With support and encouragement from Lee’s family and friends, Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates committed to finding a meaningful way to recognize our friend, advisor, and mentor.
Creating a Trail Naming Process
As we explored ways to honor Lee, we learned that Colorado Springs had no established process for naming trails after individuals.
Rather than seeking a one-time exception, Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates worked with the Parks staff to establish a formal trail naming process. We were proud to partner with Friends of Red Rock Canyon in this effort, recognizing that another extraordinary volunteer, Don Ellis, was equally deserving of permanent recognition.
The result is two proposed trail dedications:
- The Lee Milner Trail, a section of the Rock Island Urban Trail.
- The Don Ellis Trail, in Red Rock Canyon Open Space.
These proposals recognize two individuals whose volunteer service helped shape the parks, trails, and open spaces enjoyed by our community today.
We hope the process established through this effort will provide future opportunities to recognize others whose dedication has made a lasting difference.
Why the Rock Island Trail?
Choosing a trail for Lee was almost impossible.
His work touched nearly every corner of our community. He helped create TOPS, fought to preserve countless open spaces, championed trail connections across the region, and was involved in trail projects ranging from Red Rock Canyon and Corral Bluffs to the Legacy Loop, Palmer Park, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Fisher Peak, and many others. This is aside from his myriad of community projects, including the Drake Power Plant, voter reform, and many others.
The Rock Island Trail was chosen because the proposed segment passes near Lee’s longtime home, and is one of the many trail connections that Lee helped to bring to our community. It is a place where people can walk, ride, and remember someone who devoted decades of his life to making Colorado Springs a better place.
No single trail could ever represent everything Lee accomplished, but this one carries a special connection to the community he loved.
Lee’s Legacy
Lee was far more than an environmental advocate.
He was a strategist, collaborator, mentor, and relentless champion for public access to open space. He had an extraordinary ability to bring people together, navigate complicated public processes, and keep moving projects forward, even when the path seemed impossible.
As one of the founders of the Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) program, Lee helped create one of the nation’s most successful local conservation programs. His leadership helped protect thousands of acres of open space and made possible the trail network enjoyed by residents and visitors every day.
For Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates, Lee was also a trusted advisor and friend for over fifteen years. His encouragement, creativity, and steady guidance helped shape our organization through this time. We miss his wisdom and his persistence – and we continue to be inspired by his ability to see opportunities where others saw obstacles.
Timeline
1997
Lee helps lead the successful campaign to establish Colorado Springs’ Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) program, creating a dedicated funding source that has protected open space and built trails for generations.
2003
Lee plays a key role in renewing the TOPS sales tax, ensuring continued investment in parks, trails, and open space.
1984-2020
Over nearly four decades in Colorado Springs, Lee becomes one of the region’s most influential conservation advocates. His work touches projects including Red Rock Canyon Open Space, Corral Bluffs, the Rock Island Trail, Legacy Loop, Palmer Park, Cheyenne Mountain State Park, Blodgett Peak Open Space, Shooks Run, Blue Stem Prairie, and many other parks, trails, and open spaces.
2017
Lee receives the Spirit of the Springs Award from the Mayor of Colorado Springs in recognition of his extraordinary service to the community.
2020
Lee and his wife Jeanie move to Bellingham, Washington, because of health concerns. Before leaving, Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates hosts a celebration honoring Lee’s decades of service and friendship.
December 3, 2022
Lee passes away after a long battle with cancer.
2023
Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates begins working with the City of Colorado Springs to establish a formal trail naming process that could permanently recognize extraordinary community volunteers.
2024-2026
Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates and Friends of Red Rock Canyon work with City staff, elected officials, and community partners to develop the City’s first trail naming proposals.
August 13, 2026
The Parks Advisory Board approves naming a section of the Rock Island Trail the Lee Milner Trail and a trail in Red Rock Canyon Open Space the Don Ellis Trail.
A Lasting Tribute
Trails connect people.
They connect neighborhoods, parks, open spaces, and communities. They also connect generations.
The Lee Milner Trail ensures that future generations will encounter Lee’s name and have the opportunity to learn about the person whose vision helped protect so much of what makes Colorado Springs special.
Every hike, bike ride, run, and stroll along the Lee Milner Trail will stand as a reminder that dedicated volunteers truly can change their community.
Lee spent his life creating opportunities for others to experience the outdoors. It is only fitting that his name will now become part of the trail system he helped build.
MedWheel would like to recognize and thank TOSC and El Pomar for their support of the Lee Milner Trail.