If you've ever driven U.S. 24 through the foothills west of Colorado Springs and thought, I wish I could experience this without the traffic, your wish is about to come a lot closer to reality.
El Paso County is breaking ground this month on a major new segment of the long-awaited Ute Pass Trail, and it's a milestone that's been more than 20 years in the making.
What's Being Built
Construction is starting on a 1.5-mile concrete trail segment beginning in Cascade, near the stoplight at U.S. 24 and Fountain Avenue. A new trailhead will anchor the western end off Spring Street, and the trail will follow Chipeta Park Road toward Ute Pass Elementary before connecting to previously built sections between Green Mountain Falls and the Teller County line.
Work will include curb and gutter installation, retaining walls, drainage improvements, and some tree removal along the public right-of-way. The $3 million project is expected to be complete by December 2026.
More Than Just a Trail
It's easy to think of this as a recreational project, and it certainly is. On a nice summer day, you'll be able to ride your bike from Cascade to Green Mountain Falls without ever touching the highway. That's a genuinely exciting prospect for outdoor enthusiasts in the Pikes Peak region.
But Jason Meyer, who has overseen the project for El Paso County's Parks Department since 2009, makes the point that this trail "works double duty." For residents of Cascade and the surrounding area, it fills a critical gap: there are no sidewalks along much of this corridor. People currently have to walk or ride along the shoulder of Chipeta Park Road. This trail changes that, connecting neighborhoods, schools, and businesses in a way that's safe and accessible for everyone.
The Bigger Picture: 11 Miles, Decades in the Making
The Ute Pass Trail follows a historic route used by Indigenous peoples as a seasonal hunting corridor, a path now largely defined by U.S. 24. The full vision has always been an 11-mile non-motorized corridor from Manitou Springs all the way to Teller County.
The trail already exists at both ends. From Manitou Springs, a dirt trail runs about 3 miles westward. From the Teller County side, built segments work back toward Cascade. The new construction will close in on the last remaining gaps.
The most challenging section, a 1.75-mile stretch near Manitou Springs winding through the narrowest part of Ute Pass past Colorado Springs Utilities and watershed properties, hasn't even been fully designed yet. Meyer acknowledges it will be the most complex piece of the puzzle. But with momentum building and funding in place, there's more optimism than ever that the full trail will one day be a reality.
Funding & Regional Support
The project is launching on the heels of a $2.5 million grant from Great Outdoors Colorado, awarded for recreation and conservation projects throughout the Pikes Peak region. About $200,000 from that grant is going toward the new Cascade trailhead, with additional funding from federal and county sources.
The local nonprofit Pikes Peak Outdoor Recreation Alliance identified the Ute Pass Trail construction as a critical step toward the even bigger dream: Ring the Peak Trail, a full loop around Pikes Peak that has been in the works for decades.
Why This Matters for Our Community
Projects like this don't happen overnight, and they don't happen without sustained commitment from county planners, nonprofit advocates, and the community members who've championed this vision for over two decades. The Ute Pass Trail is a reminder of what's possible when regions invest in the kind of infrastructure that connects people to each other and to the stunning landscape around them.
Whether you're a local looking for a safe route to school or the grocery store, a weekend cyclist chasing mountain views, or an outdoor enthusiast dreaming of a Pikes Peak loop, this trail is being built for you.
Stay tuned. The hills west of Colorado Springs are about to get a whole lot more connected.
Source: Seth Boster, The Gazette, February 19, 2026
