Master plan shaping for canyon between Denver, Colorado Springs
A future vision is being shaped for a state park between Denver and Colorado Springs.
A draft master plan for Castlewood Canyon State Park has been posted online, along with a survey for feedback and dates for upcoming meetings.
One is virtual, slated for 6 p.m. Jan. 15. Another meeting will be held in person at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Philip and Jerry Miller Library in Castle Rock. More information: engagecpw.org
The master plan is a guiding document for the next decade of the park along the eastern plains between Colorado’s two largest metros, defined by surprising rock walls cut by Cherry Creek. Castlewood Canyon last published a management plan in 1991.
The goal, by the draft plan’s description: “to preserve and enhance the park for current and future generations.”
Other broad goals are listed in the 82-page document. Among them: “maintain and improve the park’s natural environment,” as well as “foster high-quality visitor experiences” and “sustain staffing and volunteer levels.”
Beyond sustaining, the draft plan calls for increasing personnel and the budget “to keep up with rising expenses of operations, maintenance and staffing.” The document lists four full-time employees and up to eight seasonal workers — positions not always to be filled. The plan calls the staff “small for a park of this size and visitation.”
About 200,000 annual visitors have been counted in recent years. They come for hiking, rock climbing and sightseeing around the park’s 2,585 acres, mapped into three distinctive parts: core facilities and East and West canyons.
Castlewood Canyon benefits from “a very robust volunteer program,” the draft plan notes. Citing an open house for input, the plan mentions those volunteers “concerned about retention of staff and volunteers, increasing visitation and impacts to the park.”
Noted impacts along the nearly 13-mile trail system are erosion, noxious weeds and vegetation loss due to travel off trail. The document also marks recurring damage from “more powerful rain events” in recent years.
Listed among high-priorities: fencing for “trespassing cattle” along park boundaries and management of a wintering elk herd. Park operators see “potential for a very limited hunting opportunity if a plan is developed to document the goals, how harvest will be monitored and evaluated for success over time.”
Also on the priority list: updating the visitor center, constructing an “education building” at the Canyon Point parking lot, pursuing International DarkSky status and establishing a Trackchair program for visitors with disabilities.
The master plan is expected to be finalized later this year.
Master plan shaping for canyon between Denver, Colorado Springs
A future vision is being shaped for a state park between Denver and Colorado Springs.
A draft master plan for Castlewood Canyon State Park has been posted online, along with a survey for feedback and dates for upcoming meetings.
One is virtual, slated for 6 p.m. Jan. 15. Another meeting will be held in person at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 22 at the Philip and Jerry Miller Library in Castle Rock. More information: engagecpw.org
The master plan is a guiding document for the next decade of the park along the eastern plains between Colorado’s two largest metros, defined by surprising rock walls cut by Cherry Creek. Castlewood Canyon last published a management plan in 1991.
The goal, by the draft plan’s description: “to preserve and enhance the park for current and future generations.”
Other broad goals are listed in the 82-page document. Among them: “maintain and improve the park’s natural environment,” as well as “foster high-quality visitor experiences” and “sustain staffing and volunteer levels.”
Beyond sustaining, the draft plan calls for increasing personnel and the budget “to keep up with rising expenses of operations, maintenance and staffing.” The document lists four full-time employees and up to eight seasonal workers. The plan calls the staff “small for a park of this size and visitation.”
About 200,000 annual visitors have been counted in recent years. They come for hiking, rock climbing and sightseeing around the park’s 2,585 acres, mapped into three distinctive parts: core facilities and East and West canyons.
Castlewood Canyon benefits from “a very robust volunteer program,” the draft plan notes. Citing an open house for input, the plan mentions those volunteers “concerned about retention of staff and volunteers, increasing visitation and impacts to the park.”
Noted impacts along the nearly 13-mile trail system are erosion, noxious weeds and vegetation loss due to travel off trail. The document also marks recurring damage from “more powerful rain events” in recent years.
Listed among high-priorities: fencing for “trespassing cattle” along park boundaries and management of a wintering elk herd. Park operators see “potential for a very limited hunting opportunity if a plan is developed to document the goals, how harvest will be monitored and evaluated for success over time.”
Also on the priority list: updating the visitor center, constructing an “education building” at the Canyon Point parking lot, pursuing International DarkSky status and establishing a Trackchair program for visitors with disabilities.
The master plan is expected to be finalized later this year.
