On the morning of June 4, a significant amount of rain and heavy water flowing through Colorado Springs’ North Cheyenne Cañon washed out an entire lane of the canyon’s namesake road. As a result, an indefinite closure has been put in place for that road, along with nearby Gold Camp Road, limiting outdoor recreation access in one of the city’s most popular natural spots in a major way.

The wash-out occurred about 1.5 miles up into the canyon from the Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center, with all gates at entry points into this park closed for the foreseeable future.

While Gold Camp Road didn’t sustain damage, officials noted that the reason for its closure is due to its narrow and steep nature. If it were to remain open, it’s likely that this cliffside drive would become congested, like to cause additional issues and safety concerns.

Unfortunately, there’s not much of a timeline available for when North Cheyenne Canyon Road will reopen. Officials need the rain to stop before the damage can be fully assessed and there’s more rain in the forecast for Friday. Once the extent of the damage is understood, a plan for repairs can be created and implemented, which must be followed by the city engineer certifying that the route is safe for travel.

Large boulders were placed in the washout channel yesterday in hopes of preventing additional damage from occurring.

At this point, it sounds like a relatively lengthy closure can be expected, though it is also likely that repairing the road is a top priority of the city given how popular this part of the city is when it comes to outdoor recreation.

“Our primary focus remains on keeping people safe,” said Gayle Sturdivant, the City Engineer and Deputy Director of Public Works. “That includes people who want to visit the park, as well as those who reside in it.”

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