Amenities: Equestrian Parking

Palmer Park

Palmer Park is one of Colorado Springs’ largest and most beloved urban parks, spanning more than 730 acres in the heart of the city. With rugged bluffs, panoramic overlooks, and miles of trails, the park feels like a wild escape just minutes from downtown.

Trails and Recreation

The park features over 25 miles of multi-use trails for hiking, running, mountain biking, and horseback riding. Popular routes like Yucca, Templeton, and Mesa Trails take visitors through sandstone formations, meadows, and forested ridges. The park also offers a dog park, playgrounds, and athletic fields, making it a favorite destination for families and outdoor adventurers alike.

Amenities and Features

Palmer Park is home to baseball and soccer fields, picnic shelters, restrooms, and wide-open spaces perfect for gatherings. The dog park is among the largest in the city, while Good Neighbors Meeting House (just outside the park) and nearby neighborhoods make it highly accessible. Overlooks such as Grandview Point provide sweeping views of Pikes Peak and the Front Range.

Wildlife & Scenery

From rugged sandstone spires to sweeping grasslands, Palmer Park offers an impressive variety of scenery. Visitors often spot mule deer, coyotes, rabbits, hawks, and songbirds while exploring the trails. Seasonal wildflowers add bursts of color in spring and summer, while the sandstone formations glow at sunrise and sunset.

History

Palmer Park was gifted to the city in 1902 by General William Jackson Palmer, the founder of Colorado Springs, as part of his vision to preserve natural lands for public enjoyment. For over a century, the park has served as both a community gathering space and a wilderness refuge within the city. Its size, history, and rugged beauty make it one of the crown jewels of Colorado Springs’ park system.

Plan Your Visit

Location: 3650 Maizeland Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Hours: 5:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily
Parking: Multiple lots located at trailheads, Grandview Overlook, and sports fields.

Kane Ranch Open Space

Located east of Fountain, Kane Ranch Open Space is a 440-acre landscape of native grasslands, cottonwood groves, and expansive plains views. The property offers wide-open scenery with distinctive views of Pikes Peak and Cheyenne Mountain and supports a growing regional trail network. As one of El Paso County’s newest open spaces, Kane Ranch blends outdoor recreation with cultural and historical significance.

Recreation and Trails

Kane Ranch Open Space features the Lariat Loop Trail, a natural-surface loop approximately 3.5 miles in length. The trail is suitable for hiking, running, bicycling, and equestrian use, with sufficient width to accommodate two riders on horseback side by side.

A designated trailhead includes equestrian parking, a turnaround loop, a portable restroom enclosure, and interpretive signage. Additional trails are planned and will provide future connections to regional routes, including the Black Squirrel Creek Trail and Kane Ranch Trail.

Wildlife and Scenery

The open space supports grassland and riparian habitats that provide shelter for a variety of wildlife species. Visitors may encounter reptiles, small mammals, and grassland birds throughout the property.

Rattlesnakes are present in the area, and visitors are encouraged to remain on designated trails and keep dogs on leash. Goat head thorns are also prevalent, and appropriate footwear is recommended.

History

Kane Ranch Open Space opened to the public on March 23, 2022, following its acquisition by El Paso County in 2003 through the estate of former rancher Alexander F. Kane. The land was once part of a 5,000-acre ranch established in the 1940s by Wanden Matthews La Farge, who later married Alexander “Andy” Kane. Wanden Kane served two terms as mayor of Fountain and was Colorado’s first female mayor.

The ranch later became a successful quarter-horse operation and the foundation for the Kane Family Foundation, which supports merit-based scholarships for students in southern Colorado. Wanden’s son, Oliver Albee “Pete” La Farge, was a noted musician, writer, and artist whose work included songs recorded by Johnny Cash. He is buried in the Kane Family Cemetery, now preserved within the open space.

Plan Your Visit

Location: East of Fountain, El Paso County
Parking: Trailhead with equestrian parking and turnaround loop
Hours: Open daily, dawn to dusk
Fees: No entry fee

Tips

  • Stay on designated trails and keep dogs on leash due to rattlesnakes

  • Watch for goat head thorns and wear appropriate footwear

  • Yield appropriately to equestrians and other trail users

  • Bring water and sun protection, as shade is limited

  • BEWARE OF RATTLESNAKES

Kane Ranch Open Space reflects El Paso County’s commitment to preserving working landscapes, cultural history, and accessible outdoor recreation. With expanding trail connections and wide-open scenery, the property offers visitors a distinctive plains-to-mountains open space experience.

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