Executive Summary
The Outdoor Pikes Peak Initiative (OPPI) Vision Plan (aka PPO Regional Vision Plan and Regional Plan) is a comprehensive, community-driven effort aimed at enhancing recreation and conservation in the Pikes Peak region, covering El Paso, Fremont, and Teller Counties. This initiative, spearheaded by the Pikes Peak Outdoors (PPO) as the local Colorado Outdoor Regional Partnership, and with support from Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Great Outdoors Colorado, addresses the region’s rapid growth and its impact on natural resources and recreational experiences.
Key elements of the initiative include extensive stakeholder engagement, community input and data-driven decision-making. Over the course of nearly four years, OPPI collaborated with over 400 attendees at 15 community listening sessions and gathered feedback from nearly 1,000 survey respondents, resulting in nearly 3,000 individual comments. Throughout the entire planning process thousands of constituents were reached through various in-person and digital outreach methods. Nearly 100 planning documents were reviewed, and data from agencies such as Colorado Parks and Wildlife, the U.S. Forest Service and local municipalities were analyzed. The result is a Vision Plan centered around seven core visions or values: Partnership, Communication, Connectivity, Natural Resource Conservation, Recreation, Management and Funding.
The plan highlights the necessity for intentional communication, robust partnerships, sustainable funding mechanisms and cooperative management across jurisdictions. With El Paso County projected to grow by over 200,000 residents by 2050, and the Pikes Peak region already experiencing a 41% population increase from 2000 to 2020, balancing increased recreational use with conservation efforts is crucial to ensure long-term sustainability and resilience in the face of climate change and urban development.
A crucial outcome of this initiative is the development of decision-support tools, including a comprehensive data hub and an “Areas of Opportunity” interactive map, designed to help land managers and project proponents evaluate and prioritize projects aligning with the plan’s goals. Additionally, OPPI established a Project Framework Criteria to guide future projects through a self-scoring checklist, ensuring alignment with regional conservation and recreation priorities.
The Vision Plan also presents a prioritized list of regional projects, encompassing trail networks, watershed protection, wildlife habitat conservation and the enhancement of outdoor recreational infrastructure. Key projects include the completion of the non-motorized “Ring the Peak Trail,” a Regional Trail Master Plan, and forest health and wildfire mitigation initiatives. In the face of climate change and urban development, tourism data further highlights the region’s importance. In 2023, 24.8 million visitors to the Pikes Peak region generated $2.8 billion in spending, $1.7 billion of which came from outdoor recreation activities.
Looking ahead, OPPI proposes the formation of an Implementation Task Force to drive the execution of identified action items and projects. This task force will ensure continued collaboration, track progress, and secure sustainable funding to support the region’s long-term vision of balancing outdoor recreation and natural resource conservation.
The OPPI Vision Plan serves as a roadmap for preserving the region’s rich natural heritage while enhancing access to outdoor recreation, ensuring that future generations can enjoy and steward these cherished landscapes.
Note: This vision plan was written throughout a four year period; therefore, some data or statistics could reflect a point in time prior to the release of this plan in 2025.
