A project to restore the area of the Eleven Mile Canyon spillway and improve facilities commenced and is now open for visitors.

Initial construction efforts have been completed, and the area formerly known as “the spillway” is now called the Eleven Mile Fishing Area. Revegetation and weed control will continue over the next few years, and additional amenities may be introduced in future phases.

The Eleven Mile Fishing Area is a designated day use recreation site, open from sunrise to sunset with no overnight camping or parking permitted.

The site is managed under a Forest Service permit by EXPLORUS, the authorized concessionaire of USFS. The current fee is $11 per day, with an annual pass available for $100. This pass grants access to all EXPLORUS-operated fee sites across the Pike-San Isabel National Forests and Cimarron and Comanche National Grasslands Mountain districts, including popular destinations such as Turquoise Lake and Manitou Lake.

While construction and rehabilitation were funded through grants coordinated by CUSP, those grants covered infrastructure upgrades — not ongoing operations. Fees help fund essential maintenance like restroom cleaning, toilet pumping, road upkeep and litter removal.

Eleven Mile Canyon is part of the Pike National Forest and is operated under a Granger-Thye permit. This agreement allows a private entity to manage and maintain recreation amenities, with fees authorized under the Federal Lands Recreation Enhancement Act.

Fees collected support broader site operations beyond campgrounds — including picnic areas, restrooms, road maintenance, and visitor safety. This includes frequently used areas like the spillway, which draw many visitors for wildlife observation and photography. Visitors wishing to avoid fees may park outside the designated fee zone and enter by foot; fees apply only to roadway access.

The Forest Service is in the process of contracting for road paving and entry station construction to the entrance to Eleven Mile Canyon. These improvements are tentatively scheduled for late this year or early next spring. During active construction, the main entrance will be closed to the public for approximately one to two weeks. Alternate access will be available via Forest Service Road 393 (Wagon Tongue Road), which is suitable for SUVs and similar vehicles, but not recommended for standard passenger cars.