Cheyenne Mountain State Park to Grow by 483 Acres After Key Land Acquisition Wins Committee Approval

Description: Colorado Parks and Wildlife will expand Cheyenne Mountain State Park by 483 acres after the Capital Development Committee approved the purchase of the Denman property and an adjoining parcel. The expansion protects vital wildlife habitat, enhances recreation access, and advances long-term trail and conservation plans. (Photo Courtesy of CPW)

Cheyenne Mountain State Park Expansion Advances with Committee Approval

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – A long-planned effort to expand and protect Cheyenne Mountain State Park moved forward today after the Colorado General Assembly Capital Development Committee approved Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s plan to acquire key parcels of land at the park’s entrance.    

The approval allows Colorado Parks and Wildlife to proceed with the fee-title acquisition of approximately 357.2 acres, commonly known as the Denman property, at a cost of $8.93 million. The acquisition is being completed with the assistance of Trust for Public Land, which will contract with the landowner before selling the property to Colorado Parks and Wildlife.    

In addition to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife acquisition, the City of Colorado Springs has approved the purchase of an adjacent 125.8 acre parcel, which will be managed as part of Cheyenne Mountain State Park following an amendment to an existing memorandum of understanding. Together, the acquisitions add approximately 483 acres, increasing the park’s total size to approximately 3,184 acres.    

“This project has been more than two decades in the making,” said Frank McGee, Colorado Parks and Wildlife, Southeast Region manager. “Cheyenne Mountain State Park represents the protection of one of the most important open spaces along the southern Front Range, and this expansion reflects a long-standing partnership with the City of Colorado Springs and other partners working together to protect this landscape.”   

The park opened in 2006 and currently encompasses approximately 2,701 acres. About 60 percent of the park is owned by the City of Colorado Springs and managed by Colorado Parks and Wildlife, a partnership that has shaped the park since its inception. The newly approved city parcel will be added under the same management framework.    

“The City of Colorado Springs is proud to be part of this collaboration with Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Trust for Public Land,” said Lonna Thelen, City of Colorado Springs, Parks, Trails, Open Space and Parks programs manager. “Each partner brings unique strengths to this effort, allowing us to acquire land and expand access to Cheyenne Mountain State Park so residents and visitors can enjoy this landscape for generations to come.”   

The acquisition advances long-term planning tied to the 26-mile, master-planned Chamberlain Trail, envisioned to one day connect Blodgett Peak to Cheyenne Mountain State Park. While additional planning will be required before future trail segments are developed, bringing the land into public ownership represents an important step toward that long-term vision.    

The newly acquired parcels support a wide range of wildlife, including black bear, mule deer, bobcat, prairie dogs and raptors, reflecting the ecological value of the land at the park’s entrance. Once under park management, Colorado Parks and Wildlife will be able to protect habitat while planning future use aligned with the park’s primary recreational activities, including hiking and mountain biking.    

The land purchase also allows Colorado Parks and Wildlife to install signage at the park’s main entrance along Colorado Highway 115, improving visibility at what park officials describe as the park’s “front door.”    

“Cheyenne Mountain State Park welcomes significant visitation, but we still hear from first-time visitors who say they didn’t realize the park was even here,” said Jason Hagan, Cheyenne Mountain State Park manager. “Bringing this land into public ownership allows us to protect the park’s entrance and preserve this landscape for the long term.”    

Hagan said the effort has received strong support from Cheyenne Mountain Space Force Station and Fort Carson, helping prevent future development that could have created military encroachment concerns while preserving the scenic gateway into the park.    

Once the land is added to the park, volunteers will play a key role in stewardship, assisting with trail maintenance and construction, fire mitigation work and ongoing care, Hagan said.    

The acquisition is funded by state lottery funds allocated to Colorado Parks and Wildlife and is supported by a wide range of partners focused on conserving open space and preventing incompatible development near the park boundary. Final transaction steps are expected to proceed following the committee’s approval.

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