Less-explored waters high on Pikes Peak set to open for season
A hidden chain of lakes high on Pikes Peak is set to open for the season.
The gate is expected to be lifted June 13 at South Slope Recreation Area. That’s the remote, high-altitude area that opened 10 years ago to fanfare among anglers, hikers and mountain bikers who long sought the reservoirs tightly guarded by Colorado Springs Utilities.
Recreation is managed by Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain, the city of Colorado Springs enterprise that sells a limited number of permits for Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays throughout the summer.
Permits are $20 per vehicle with up to eight people allowed per vehicle and can be reserved up to 24 hours in advance. Reservations can be made at coloradosprings.gov/southslope or by calling 719-385-7709 or 719-385-2214.
That webpage details directions to South Slope Recreation Area, off Gold Camp Road and other rugged forest roads outside Victor. Also posted is information for fishing McReynolds and Mason reservoirs and venturing to the uppermost Boehmer Reservoir near 11,300 feet, reached via trail spanning 9.4 miles round trip.
Boehmer is off-limits for bighorn sheep lambing until after July 15. Until then, the lower parts of Mason Trail are open, along with the McReynolds Trail running 1.2 miles.
One will have to plan accordingly — especially considering time constraints.
The gate to South Slope Recreation Area opens at 7:30 a.m. and closes at 3 p.m. Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The gate is said to close at 8 a.m. for an hour-long patrol.
The gate used to open on Sundays, but low visitation over the years led to the day being dropped. Fishing has been the main draw. Pikes Peak-America’s Mountain Manager Skyler Rorabaugh wonders if interest will be greater this summer while a dam repair closes the more accessible North Slope Recreation Area to vehicles.
“If there is, if we start seeing reservations sell out on a regular basis, we’ve talked about bringing back that Sunday operation again,” Rorabaugh said.
South Slope Recreation Area is typically open through September.
