COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A portion of Gold Camp Road is now closed to vehicles until further notice due to a large boulder blocking the roadway. The closure is from the northern boundary of North Cheyenne Cañon Park, north of the Chutes and Ladders trailhead, to the gravel parking lot uphill from Helen Hunt Falls. The boulder fell into the road Sunday, April 25. The USDA Forest Service will be assessing all options for remediation. The public is asked to please avoid the area to minimize traffic issues associated with overcrowding.

A temporary closure of Gold Camp Road from the northern boundary of North Cheyenne Cañon Park to Helen Hunt Falls is planned from May 3-28, weather dependent. The closure will allow the Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services Department to improve and expand the existing gravel parking lot that is located uphill of Helen Hunt Falls at the intersection of North Cheyenne Canyon Road, High Drive and Gold Camp Road.

During the planned closure, Gold Camp Road will be open to recreational users, including hikers, cyclists, equestrians and motorized vehicles under 50” width. All users are advised to slow down and be aware of construction vehicles in the area.

“These improvements will provide some much needed parking relief,” said David Deitemeyer, senior landscape architect. “While work is underway, though, visitors can expect North Cheyenne Cañon Park to be busy with very limited parking. To ensure a more positive experience, we highly recommend that visitors plan ahead and consider parking near the Starsmore Visitor & Nature Center, and then hike or bike into the park until this lot is complete. We’d like to thank residents and visitors for their patience while we work to make the park experience more enjoyable for all.”

The project, a recommendation from the 2018 North Cheyenne Cañon Park master and management plan, will increase the current parking lot count from 75 non-designated spaces to 92 designated stalls. Concrete curb and gutter will be added, along with a paved asphalt surface and accessible parking spaces.

The total cost is $320,000, funded by the Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) sales tax. TOPS is a 0.01 percent sales tax first approved by voters in 1997 that generates approximately $9.5 million annually. It is used exclusively to preserve and steward open space lands, trails and parks.

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Media note: A photo of the boulder blocking Gold Camp Road, a map of the planned closure and a current photo of the parking lot that will be improved are attached for your use (photo credit: City of Colorado Springs).

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Please contact Vanessa Zin, Senior Communications Specialist: 719-491-0363; vanessa.zink@coloradosprings.gov