Governor Polis, Colorado Springs Mayor Mobolade and CPW Announce Cheyenne Mountain State Park Expansion, Sign New Recreation Agreement to Increase Camping and Boating

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COLORADO SPRINGS– Today Governor Jared Polis, Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade and community partners joined Colorado Parks and Wildlife to announce the significant growth of Cheyenne Mountain State Park. This includes the 357-acre Denman property and the City of Colorado Springs' purchase of an adjacent 127-acre parcel. Conducted with support from the Trust for Public Land, the additions increase Cheyenne Mountain State Park to roughly 3,184 acres and protect open space at the entrance to one of the region's most visited outdoor destinations. CPW and Colorado Springs Utilities also signed an agreement supporting expanded recreation at Rosemont Reservoir on Pikes Peak.

"Colorado's outdoor spaces are truly inspiring and I'm excited we can enjoy even more of our incredible lands with this new expansion. Colorado Springs is already a destination for outdoor experiences and this will add more choices for camping and boating. I thank CPW, Mayor Mobolade, Colorado Springs Utilities, Trust for Public Lands and all the partners who helped make this possible," said Governor Jared Polis.

"At the heart of today is a simple but powerful truth, Colorado Springs is blessed with extraordinary natural beauty. Places like Cheyenne Mountain are more than scenery. They are more than postcard views or a backdrop to our lives. They are part of our identity. Part of our story. Part of what makes this city feel like home," said Colorado Springs Mayor Yemi Mobolade. "The expansion of the Cheyenne Mountain State Park represents far more than a land acquisition, or ribbon cutting, but a moment of stewardship. And stewardship is never a solo effort. Thank you to Governor Polis, our partners at Colorado Parks and Wildlife, The Trust for Public Land, the City's Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services team, our community partners, and especially the voters of Colorado Springs, whose continued support of Trails, Open Space, and Parks, known as TOPS, made this day possible. Thank you for your leadership, your partnership, and your vision."

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"These projects expand public access opportunities and support the future of outdoor recreation in Colorado," said CPW Director Laura Clellan. "The expansion of Cheyenne Mountain State Park and new camping opportunities at Rosemont Reservoir on Pikes Peak show what can be achieved when partners share a vision and work together to increase access to Colorado's outdoors."

The agreement allows new recreation opportunities at Rosemont Reservoir with development of basic campsites, managed overnight camping and recreational boating opportunities for hand-launched, hand-powered and electric-powered watercraft. A groundbreaking ceremony will be scheduled at the alpine lake property later this summer.

"This is more than a land acquisition," said Jason Hagan, Cheyenne Mountain State Park manager. "It reflects decades of partnership and a shared commitment to protect important landscapes while creating recreation opportunities across the region. Cheyenne Mountain State Park continues to grow because people and organizations have stayed committed to that vision."

"This expansion ensures that one of Colorado Springs' most treasured outdoor spaces will remain protected and accessible as the region continues to grow," said Jim Petterson, Vice President of the Mountain West Region for the Trust for Public Land. "By conserving this land now, we're protecting wildlife habitat, expanding recreation opportunities, and preserving the mountain landscapes that define this community. This project shows what's possible when strong partners come together to protect the landscapes we all love."

The expansion at Cheyenne Mountain is TPL's 5,000th land protection project.

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For more than two decades, Colorado Springs and Colorado Parks and Wildlife have partnered to expand protected open space and recreation opportunities around Cheyenne Mountain through continued conservation investments and the city's voter-supported Trails, Open Space and Parks program, with those lands managed by Cheyenne Mountain State Park staff.

The ceremony also marks the opening of 11 new full-hookup campsites, bringing the park total to 62 full-hookup sites, along with 10 tent sites and a group tent area.

Colorado Lottery funding supported Colorado Parks and Wildlife's Denman acquisition. Colorado Parks and Wildlife receives 10 percent of Colorado Lottery proceeds, which support trail construction and maintenance, land acquisition, facility improvements and other recreation and conservation projects across Colorado's state parks.

The acquisition includes newly protected landscape previously approved for development of 95 single-family homes. The effort preserves scenic open space at the park entrance, protects wildlife habitat and helps prevent incompatible development near the park and surrounding military missions.

Future efforts may include natural resource surveys, fire mitigation, trail planning and continued coordination with community and military partners.

The ceremony also recognizes park staff for earning Leave No Trace Gold Standard certification for stewardship, public outreach and reducing recreation-related impacts.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park opened in 2006 following acquisition of approximately 1,600 acres known as the JL Ranch. Acquisitions since then have continued expanding recreation access and long-term conservation efforts.

Visual opportunities include the recreation agreement signing, ribbon-cutting ceremony, park expansion backdrop and interviews with participating partners.

Learn more at: https://cpw.state.co.us/state-parks/cheyenne-mo...

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