COLORADO SPRINGS — Work to expand and improve the Blodgett Open Space is underway on the northwest side of Colorado Springs.
The hope from one regular visitor is more of a good thing. Watch their reaction below.
“This is one of the best open spaces, Blodgett Mountain, whatever you want to call it, hike in the Springs, my personal opinion,” said hiker, Toro Cortez.
Soon, park visitors will have more space to enjoy.
Land acquired in 2018 and 2021 will increase the park property to nearly 400 acres.
"Expand Blodgett Open Space by nearly double, and to provide for public access," said Colorado Springs Parks, TOPS Senior Administrator, David Deitemeyer.
Upgrades include added parking locations, more entrance points, and many added trail options.
“We have over 14 miles worth of trail improvements and new trail that we're putting in at Blodgett Open Space that also will include about five miles worth of illegal trail or social trail closures,” said Deitemeyer.
The start of work is a big deal because it comes after years of planning and public input.
“We had heard from the community a lot more vocal interest to have single use trails. So we incorporated the use of hiking only trails on the northern portion of the open space, as well as creating bike only trails that really accommodate kind of more of the southern portion of Blodgett Open Space,” said Deitemeyer.
Some in the community wanted more trails, others wanted fewer.
The plan reflects a compromise.
“Finding that right balance is really what the public process allows us to do,”
Now, there will be give and take during construction.
Workers and trail users will share space.
“There'll be a phased approach where we implement and open up the new trails throughout the duration of the project,” said Deitemeyer.
Completing the work will likely take until the end of summer 2026.
Watch what other exciting developments are happening at other local open spaces
___
Community members voice frustration over Colorado Springs Utilities' lingering paint jobs
In what they're calling "legalized vandalism," community members in Wolf Ranch are expressing their concerns over spray paint left behind from a fiber installation project months ago.
____
Watch KOAA News5 on your time, anytime with our free streaming app available for your Roku, FireTV, AppleTV and Android TV. Just search KOAA News5, download and start watching.
