Over 70 miles of new MTB trails are coming to Colorado Springs… and maybe even a lift-served bike park

Colorado Springs boasts many miles of bike-legal singletrack trails within its city limits, and hundreds more can be found just west of the city. In addition to the established trail infrastructure, Colorado Springs plans to add more multi-use and mountain bike-specific trails to its portfolio, and the city is even discussing the potential for a lift-served bike park within city limits.

Expansive trail development is happening all across Colorado Springs

So much is happening in Colorado Springs that David Deitemeyer had to visualize a map of the area and tell us about trail proposals and additions from south to north. Deitemeyer is the Trails, Open Space, and Parks (TOPS) Senior Program Administrator for Colorado Springs.

And Deitemeyer is a busy man.

He started at the southern end of Colorado Springs with the newly acquired Fishers Canyon Open Space. The city acquired the property in 2021 for $4.2 million. Funding came from the TOPS sales tax and an acquisition grant from the Land Water Conservation Fund.

“[It’s] about 343 acres on the east side of Cheyenne Mountain,” Deitemeyer said. “So, steep mountain hillside, wilderness-type experience, really cool landforms, huge overlooks — a gorgeous property.”

Deitemeyer explained that public input pushed the master plan for Fishers Canyon toward more multi-use trails rather than mountain bike-specific trails. The public also asked for a balance between land access and conservation.

Two distinct options were presented to Colorado Springs residents as a result. Option one involves 5-6 miles of multi-use trail focused on the eastern side, leaving 200 acres (58%) untouched. The second option is more extensive, nearly doubling trail mileage, potentially adding rock climbing access, and creating a hiking-only trail. In option two, 160 acres (46%) will be conserved.

Next on the docket was the 600-acre Austin Bluffs Open Space in the heart of Colorado Springs. Although the city acquired the area in 1974, no official planning occurred until 2020.

“So we have had 50-plus years of social use that just destroyed those resources in the habitat,” Deitemeyer said. “Our master plan allowed us to come in with a developed trail system and designate about 22 miles worth of trail in that open space.”

An additional 2.5 miles of trails are proposed at Austin Bluffs, but the project will depend on a grant request. Since 2020, Colorado Springs focused much of its attention on Austin Bluffs, working with groups like the Colorado Springs Mountain Bike Association (COSMBA). In 2022, COSMBA built an advanced, descending-only mountain bike trail called Black Sheep just beneath the iconic Pulpit Rock. Black Sheep quickly became a “must-ride” in the city.

Blodgett Open Space, covering 384 acres, is located just northwest of Colorado Springs. In 2025, the city will focus on actual trail development at this location. Just over 14 miles of trails, some of which will be bike-only downhill trails, have been proposed and approved.

Deitemeyer also discussed the incredible trail and bike path infrastructure throughout Colorado Springs, which connects many of the city’s trail networks. The Chamberlain Trail will stretch 26 miles, connecting Blodgett in the north to Fisher Canyon and Cheyenne Mountain State Park in the south. Deitemeyer reported that it is 50% completed.

“So you can literally do a loop around the city of Colorado Springs on 99% off-road trail,” Deitemeyer explained. “It creates this incredible system of connectivity.”

COSMBA is actively partnering with the city to help get these trails built

Keith Thompson, Executive Director of COSMBA, is getting the organization’s shovels, picks, and McLeods ready for the upcoming building season. Although COSMBA is a relatively new organization, they’ve already spearheaded significant trail projects in Colorado Springs, including Captain Morgans and Ladders.

Collaborating closely with the city and various organizations, COSMBA is set to play a pivotal role in advancing trail development throughout Colorado Springs. Thompson is especially excited about what is happening at Blodgett Open Space.

“It’s a mountain bike paradise.”

“It’s a mountain bike paradise. All of 2023, we worked with the city to develop a master plan,” Thompson told us. “We essentially set the north half of Blodgett Open Space to be hike-only and multi-use trails, and the south portion would be bike-only with multi-purpose trails.”

Thompson explained that the mountain bike-specific trails at Blodgett Open Space will be a mix of tech and flow, leaning toward flow. The soil at Blodgett doesn’t have much rock, but there is a discussion of bringing some rock to create smaller tech sections. Regardless, COSMBA will request that the trails be more feature-rich, with larger jumps and drops, especially on advanced trails.

Just over three miles of mountain bike-specific trails will be added to the south side of Blodgett, including a climbing trail. There will be two descending-only trails — one blue and one black — with a third, double-black option roughly halfway down the black trail. Taking advantage of the scarce rock features on Blodgett, the double-black trail will traverse a steep, rocky drainage as it descends the hillside.

While the exact mileage for the descending trails is still being determined, riders can expect to climb and descend 700–800 vertical feet.

Thompson also provided more information on the Chamberlain Trail, connecting the northern and southern open spaces in Colorado Springs. Although designed to be slightly wider and rated as intermediate, Thompson cautioned that it can be deceptively challenging.

“When you look at the terrain and the elevation climb and descending, as well as the complexity of the trail, it’s very advanced,” he told us. Thompson explained that the elevation gradients on the city’s west side are significant, with typical climbs of 600–700 vertical feet in relatively short distances. This type of topography will be all up and down the Chamberlain Trail.

A lift-served bike park in the city limits?

Two quarries are also being discussed for the future of Colorado Springs’ recreation. The city recently acquired the Black Canyon Quarry, which is officially in the reclamation process. Over the next few years, Colorado Springs will develop a master plan for the quarry that could include mountain biking.

The Pikeview Quarry is currently being reclaimed by the private landowner, said Deitemeyer. The reclamation is wrapping up soon, and post reclamation, the property will be offered to the City through donation by the private property owner.

“The vision is that property would serve as a bike park for the City of Colorado Springs,” Deitemeyer said. “It’s well supported by our park system master plan, which looked at the overall community. That part of town — the northwest side — a bike center has garnered a lot of interest and attention.”

Deitemeyer expects the bike park conversation to develop, probably starting this time next year, with a public process to hear from the community and address concerns. If the proposal moves forward, the conversation will revolve around funding, management, and how riders would get to the top.

Chairlifts are in the conversation.

If approved, chairlifts would help transport riders up the nearly 700 feet of elevation at the 100-acre Pikeview Quarry. Thompson said the quarry is ideally suited for progression, though determining the types and number of trails for the bike park is still years away.

“Pikeview is great for a bike park because, at its lowest point, it has the least amount of slope,” Thompson explained. “So the design will essentially allow us to create more beginner level and intermediate type of trails on the lower half of the quarry, and more advanced trails — blacks and double-blacks — will be at the top.”

Thompson also said that the rockiest, most technical terrain is at the top half of the quarry. Massive boulders from the mining process were intentionally left during reclamation for their potential use in trail features.

Thanks to organizations like COSMBA and a proactive city government, Colorado Springs is solidifying its reputation as a premier mountain bike city. With a growing network of trail infrastructure and riding so close to town, homes become trailheads in Colorado Springs.