NEWS RELEASE

Sept. 20, 2021

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A section of North Cheyenne Canyon Road, from the main entrance of North Cheyenne Cañon Park to the newly paved Powell Lot, also known as the Upper Gold Camp lot located above Helen Hunt Falls, will be closed to all traffic beginning Monday, Sept. 27. Initially, the closure was set to begin Sept. 20. The closure, which is expected to last through the end of May 2022, will allow construction crews to replace three aging vehicular bridges. Access will be maintained for emergency service vehicles.

Media: This closure map is available for your use.

During the closure, park trails will remain open, though visitors can expect to see heavy machinery and should completely avoid North Cheyenne Canyon Road within the park. The parking lot at Helen Hunt Falls is within the closure area. Those seeking access to Helen Hunt Falls from Gold Camp Road can park in the Powell Lot. The parking area is expected to fill quickly, and visitors should be prepared to turn around if there are no parking spots. Illegally parked cars will be ticketed. Be prepared that Gold Camp Road is approximately 4 miles of rough-grade gravel road before reaching the Powell Lot. From the Powell Lot, it is about a 0.7-mile trail hike to Helen Hunt Falls. 

The bridges are being reconstructed to address public safety and provide continued community use of the roadway and emergency service access. By proactively replacing these structures before they completely fail, costs can be managed, work can be planned efficiently, and impacts to the natural resources and park users can be minimized. This project is funded by a grant from the Colorado Department of Transportation and the Pikes Peak Rural Transportation Authority (PPRTA). More information about the bridge replacement project is available at ColoradoSprings.gov/NCCBridgeReplacement.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

Vanessa Zink

Senior Communications Specialist

719-491-0363