Letter of Intent announces multi-agency collaboration on a CPW-managed Ring the Peak Trail corridor on Pikes Peak

A group of Pikes Peak landowners and managers have announced their intent to explore a collaborative endeavor with Colorado Parks & Wildlife (CPW) that would provide enhanced recreation opportunities on Pikes Peak. A Letter of Intent (LOI) was sent to CPW Director Jeff Davis on Dec. 23, 2024 informing him of the group’s shared vision for sustainable resource management on Pikes Peak. The letter proposes a long-term agreement with CPW specifically for the management of the Ring the Peak Trail corridor.

Governor Jared Polis alluded to future enhanced recreation on Pikes Peak in his State of the State address on Jan. 9. CPW followed up with a news release that expanded on the LOI. Collaborative agencies include U.S. Bureau of Land Management, City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Services, Pikes Peak America's Mountain, City of Manitou Springs, Colorado Springs Utilities, El Paso County, Teller County, and U.S. Department of Agriculture/Forest Service, Pike-San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands. The initiative is in the early stages of development. Future discussions are planned which may yield collaborative and sustainable recreation alternatives for consideration.

According to the Friends of The Peak website:

Located in Colorado near Colorado Springs, Ring the Peak is a collection of trails and backcountry roads to circumnavigate Pikes Peak, as envisioned in the 1999 Pikes Peak Multi-Use Plan and adopted by FOTP. The trails cross federal, state, county, city, and sometimes private lands. The total length of the trail system is approximately 63 miles with approximately 80% of the route completed. Evaluation and planning are ongoing for the remaining 20%. The altitude ranges between 6,400 feet in Manitou Springs to 11,300 feet east of Portal 8 on Trail Segment 8-9; consequently, many trails are obscured by snow during the winter months. Currently, 9 portals provide access to the Ring trails, although there are numerous other ways to find your way to the Ring.

According to the Ring the Peak Trail website:

As it is currently designated, the Ring the Peak Trail is approximately 63 miles in length and can be accessed from various locations. Not all access points are accessible by automobile and some require a 4-wheel drive vehicle to reach.

All segments allow hiking but some are closed during the winter season while some do not allow mountain bikes or horses. Much of the terrain is above 8,000 feet in elevation and cell phone coverage is spotty to non-existent.

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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com