Forest Lakes Connetor: National Public Lands Day

Forest Lakes Connector: Approved and Underway

There's a particular kind of satisfaction that comes after a long wait — when planning finally turns into dirt under your boots. That's where we are with the Forest Lakes connector. Years in the making, it's now cleared, funded, and real. If you've been waiting for a reason to put in some trail time, this is it.

The U.S. Forest Service has approved the Forest Lakes #7 (FL7) Trail project, and with the NEPA review and public comment period behind us, we're ready to go.

FL7 is a short but significant segment connecting the Forest Lakes Trail to USFS Trail 715 — the Monument Trail, known locally as the Stoopid Trail — below Mt. Herman. Its proximity to the Santa Fe Trail, via the new El Paso County regional trail, will give residents and visitors easy biking access. The trail promises varied terrain, too, with roughly 200 feet of climbing on each of its two legs and an array of exciting rock features.

What's the work?

Corridor clearing, hand-tools only. We're opening the line of the trail through trees and brush, clearing slash from about a half-mile stretch so that Big Pony can move and shape dirt and rock into the new multiuse, bike-friendly trail.

On the ground, that means hiking the corridor, grabbing armloads of branches, and moving them to nearby drop points. No skills required. Gloves provided; long pants and a large water bottle recommended. It's straightforward work — and it's what makes everything after it possible.
Post-Event Fun

Join us for a beverage at Routes / Trails End in Monument to wash that trail dust down!