Believe it or not, it’s (mostly) possible to travel from Colorado Springs to Denver on bicycle via trail. A long-distance route that stretches 80-plus miles depending on the specific route, a key portion for all seems to be a stretch called the ‘New Santa Fe Regional Trail.’
Described by El Paso County as a 14-mile segment, a key reason this trail can exist – connecting the Palmer Lake area to the Pikes Peak Greenway Trail – is an easement agreement with the U.S. Air Force Academy that provides access to “a crucial 6.9-mile stretch,” on which users are not permitted to travel off of the six-foot-wide trail as it passes through the Academy. Despite the Academy being a highly secure area, gaining access to this portion of the trail generally means passing through an unmanned gate. Unfortunately for trail users, though, national and world events can impact whether or not this access is allowed.
Effective as of March 1, the United States Air Force Academy has announced that this portion of the trail is now closed until further notice, along with other security-related changes. Per language on the USAFA website, the changes are “based on the current world situation,” presumably related to conflict in Iran that escalated significantly over the weekend…