Long-awaited plan taking shape for Colorado Springs' Jones Park

A long-awaited master plan for a highly debated place of recreation and conservation in Colorado Springs' mountains is closer to a finish line.

El Paso County parks officials recently fielded questions from mountain bikers and motorcyclists about a proposed guiding document for the next decade of management at Jones Park, the nearly 1,200 acres in the Bear Creek watershed popularly reached from North Cheyenne Cañon Park.

Those recreation groups have been heavily involved in talks over the years that have seen mass trail closures and realignments in the historic area that's home to a genetically pure strain of greenback cutthroat trout, listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act.

A lawsuit against the U.S. Forest Service prompted those trail changes to protect habitat. That included, in 2017, a remade Trail 667, beloved by riders who know it as Captain Jacks. They have since pushed for more trails while land managers have raised the alarm on "rogue" trail construction, and other onlookers have noted potentially creek-harming erosion on the rerouted Captain Jacks.

The proposed master plan calls for continued efforts to close rogue trails, maintain Captain Jacks, reroute a small spur off Seven Bridges Trail and improve forest health.

The document lists a public desire for more trails, a top wish gained from meetings and surveys going back to 2019. That year, a county contractor blueprinted trails that would almost double Jones Park's network of about 5 miles.

"However, at this time, additional trails are not supported by the USDA Notice of Final Decision or the Conservation Easement which governs management and public access of Jones Park," the proposed plan reads, alluding to the Forest Service action plan and easement held by Palmer Land Conservancy.

The last, 92nd page of the proposed master plan maps those "aspirational trails" and emphasizes them not being approved.

At the recent meeting, recreation enthusiasts pushed for clarity. What, they asked, would have to happen for approval?

"We can't do anything if we don't have a roadmap to get there," said Mark Reimler, with Colorado Motorcycle Trail Riders Association.

The county's parks director, Todd Marts, pledged more details in a proposal to be updated, while noting "the legal complexities of the trail situation."

Asked about the prospect of more trails, "Definitely the easement allows for it, assuming our partners at the federal agencies feel that it meets the requirements," Steve Harris, Palmer's land stewardship director, told The Gazette. "And right now, my clear understanding is they do not feel any of that meets any requirements."

The easement calls for development to be documented in a master plan approved by Palmer Land Conservancy, and for any such development to be cleared by U.S. Fish and Wildlife.

Cory Sutela, with mountain bike advocacy group Medicine Wheel, has pointed to those stipulations while pushing for trail considerations over the years. He considered the "aspirational trails" mentioned in the proposed master plan as a "major step forward."

The mention alone is "a pathway," he said. "It's just not an easy, clear pathway."

Little has been easy when it comes to Jones Park.

The long wait for the master plan is no wonder, Marts said. "It's just an extremely complex situation with the land. But with that complexity, it's extremely valuable and very well loved by a variety of users."

So the county has learned since taking ownership of the remote parcel in 2015.

An official at the recent meeting mentioned an average of $30,000 being spent yearly toward Captain Jacks maintenance. The state's OHV Trail Grant program has helped funding. That's a point of pride among motorists who have angled for a reputation of stewardship.

Mountain bikers, too, have faced accusations of conflict and damage. They were at the center of controversy last year regarding tree removal ordered by the Forest Service to close what it deemed to be illegal trails around Mays Peak — what critics saw as extreme.

"When illegal activity happens in the Bear Creek watershed, where it's subject to the Endangered Species Act and where there's been lawsuits, the Forest Service will know what is happening, and they will take drastic steps if they have to," Sutela said. "Illegally built trails just cannot happen, and we will continue to share that message as loudly as we can."

Advocates have pushed for more designated, sustainable trails as a means for conservation. Rogue trails are "often an indication that users do not feel they have access to places or experiences they desire," the proposed master plan recognizes.

Reimler pointed to one blueprinted trail that advocates see as "Captain Jacks Part 2," mapped outside the watershed.

"It's going to reduce conflict, it's going to take some users off the main trail and disperse people," Reimler said.

El Paso County is accepting feedback emailed to parks@elpasoco.com through the end of the month. A plan could go to the county parks board in June, before considerations by county commissioners and Palmer Land Conservancy.