Current and Upcoming Trail Projects
After completion of the 20+year long process of planning and constructing the Lake Moraine Trail in 2018, Medicine Wheel spent 2019 catching up on design, maintenance and re-route projects including The Chutes and Ladders. Much of our effort this year will focus on design work in collaboration with Colorado Springs Parks, and on smaller building projects to make some of our signature trails more fun and sustainable. Here are a few of the larger projects we’re working on this season. Keep an eye on our calendar for volunteer opportunities.
Red Rock Canyon Open Space
One of our most beloved trail systems is getting more work in 2020! In addition to more work on the Codell trail (keep the water off, keep the trail narrow and challenging), approval has been given for the new Lion’s trail to replace the one closed last year.
There are several other trail projects in RRCOS that are still under negotiation – we will share updates when we have them.
(Pictured) Volunteers work on trail improvements in Red Rock Canyon Open Space.
North Cheyenne Canyon
The master plan updates were adopted by the City of Colorado Springs’ Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board on May 10, 2018.
THE CHUTES TRAIL UPGRADE and RE-ROUTE – Completed
Medicine Wheel Trail Advocates played a big part in the design, construction, signage management, and partial funding this downhill-oriented challenging mountain bike trail. More details available here, and here’s a link to a video ride and review.
(Pictured) Tools ready to go back into the Medwheel trailer after a successful work day clearing corridor and collecting trash at the new Chutes Trail re-route.
DANIEL’S PASS TRAIL – 2020
City Parks has received a grant for the reroute of the 3/4 mile downhill Daniel’s Pass trail, that currently drops down from Gold Camp Road (past the closed tunnel #3) east toward Mt Muscoco and down to Cheyenne Canyon Road. This work is scheduled for late summer 2020. MWTA and many users expressed the desire for rugged DH trails of this type in our trail system and this message was received by city staff. However the decision that came out of the NCC master plan was to improve DH riding experiences on Chutes and Cpt Morgans, and to rehabilitate the existing steep & rutted trail to reduce erosion and protect vegetation.
The new Daniel’s Pass trail will be multi-direction, multi-use, and MWTA will assist with the layout including integration of alternate riding lines in boulder field in the upper third of the trail. Many of us will be sad to see the closure of the Daniel’s Pass trail, even though we understand the city’s desire to expand user access and sustainability in this area. The work will happen in the 3rd quarter of 2020 – get your laps in while you can! The project will also include a new bridge over the creek and a trailhead.
TWILIGHT TRAILS
New Upper and Lower Twilight Trails will be constructed on the parcel of land south of Mt Muscoco (recently transferred to the city through a land swap with the Broadmoor). This parcel contains some interesting terrain, and will provide a new looping trail experience with connections to Gold Camp Road. No date has been set yet for construction of these trails.
CORLEY TRAIL
The new Corley Trail will provide users an alternative to travelling on Gold Camp Road. It contours above Gold Camp Road from the top of the Chutes, up to the Columbine Trail. A spur will connect to the Penrose Trail, crossing over the top of Tunnel #2 and into Spring Creek Trail. It may contain a grade-separated crossing and is tentatively planned for the 2021 trail building season.
CAPTAIN MORGAN’S
Kudos to City Parks for recognizing the value of this double black diamond DH experience – that drops off Captain Jacks’s down to Gold Camp Road. Morgan’s was adopted in the master plan. Did you know that the trail is also called the Willard Heights trail?
The challenging character of Morgan’s will be retained, while existing drop features are stabilized with rockwork and retaining walls to reduce erosion. This work has not yet been scheduled, and MWTA plans to be heavily involved in the design and contractor selection. Watch here for status updates.