The North Slope Recreation Area (NSRA)—home to Crystal Creek, North Catamount, and South Catamount reservoirs—sits at a critical intersection of water supply, recreation, and the Ring the Peak Trail corridor. Colorado Springs Utilities, Pikes Peak America’s Mountain, and City Parks have been developing a Watershed Access and Recreation Plan to balance public use with infrastructure protection, resource conservation, and safety.
Peak Exceptionalism supports implementation of that plan through trail realignments, new sustainable connections, closure of unauthorized social trails, resource protection fencing and restoration, improved wayfinding, and better regional connectivity.
The agreement for grant support is in place between Pikes Peak Outdoors, Colorado Springs Utilities, and Colorado Springs Parks and Recreation. Trail routing is underway with GPS support from Mike Rigney. Approximately 15 miles of trail are planned; roughly half have been routed. Local coordination continues in Green Mountain Falls.
These improvements will move recreation off service roads, protect watershed infrastructure and sensitive resources, and elevate the user experience on a highly scenic portion of the Ring the Peak system. Construction of key components is expected to advance through 2028.
