Hikers, cyclists and equestrians enjoying El Paso County’s newly unveiled open space this week, Kane Ranch, won’t have to wait long to enjoy another.
Officials on Thursday announced an April 7 ribbon-cutting for Santa Fe Open Space near Palmer Lake, near the county’s northern boundaries. Kane Ranch’s 3½-mile loop trail recently opened on the county’s southeast side near Fountain.
“With El Paso County’s growing community and their growing interest in spending time outdoors, this new open space allows us to engage in more of El Paso County’s landscape and enjoy all our parks system has to offer,” Todd Marts, the county’s community services executive director, said in Thursday’s news release.
A single-track circuit covering 1.75 miles has been built in Santa Fe Open Space’s modest 60 acres. That’s compared with Kane Ranch’s 495 acres of windswept prairie, deeded to the public by the late proprietor.
Santa Fe’s aesthetics are much different — like a slice of backcountry, as county park planner Ross Williams previously described it to The Gazette.
The trail meanders through oak, pine and meadows in the hills just off the New Santa Fe Regional Trail, under the gaze of Ben Lomand Mountain and aptly-named Elephant Rock. Palmer Lake’s rolling backdrop provide more views, along with Monument’s Mount Herman and, to the east, Black Forest’s recognizable tree line.
“On top of that, it’s flooded with sunshine,” Williams said. “It’s south-facing, and it gets so much sunshine. So I think it’s really gonna offer that year-round hiking experience.”
The county bought the land in 2017 for $340,000, seeing it as a way for New Santa Fe Regional Trail users “to experience a more natural foothills environment in close vicinity to urbanized areas and major trailheads,” according to the news release.
The open space is reached a half-mile up that regional trail from Palmer Lake Recreation Area in the heart of town. Or one could travel 2½ miles on the trail from the parking lot along Colorado 105, closer to Monument.
The April 7 ribbon-cutting is scheduled for 1 p.m. at the western entrance near Palmer Lake.
