A 12-mile trail in Sandstone Ranch, located along the foothills between Denver and Colorado Springs, is now open for hikers, bikers and those on horseback, Douglas County officials said Monday. 

The trail runs through the eastern part of the 2,038-acre ranch, which is one of the state’s largest open spaces, and will be open for non-motorized use only.

The county said it aims to allow appropriate public access while still conserving the historic land, wildlife habitat and natural resources.

“We recognize the value of this acquisition to our citizens’ quality of life and we take seriously the responsibility to balance the preservation and protection of the Ranch with the opportunity for public access,” county Commissioner Abe Laydon said in a statement.

Douglas County acquired the land in 2017 for $18.75 million using sales and use tax revenue from the 1994 voter-approved Douglas County Open Space Fund, which is exclusively dedicated to the protection of open space and funding for county parks, the county said.