An image of a cactus blooming at Kane Ranch Open Space

March 10, 2022 – El Paso County will open Kane Ranch Open Space, the newest addition to the El Paso County Parks system, on Wednesday, March 23, 2022.

El Paso County was gifted the 495-acre site through the wishes of the late Alexander Kane, a prominent rancher in southern El Paso County. Located approximately 4 miles east of the City of Fountain, Colorado, along Squirrel Creek Road, this large, previously undeveloped parcel of ranchland, known as Kane Ranch, features rolling terrain of prairie grasslands, small pockets of Cottonwood trees, dry creek beds, and sweeping views of the southern Colorado Front Range.

The Kane Ranch Open Space Master Plan was completed in August 2018, which guided the overall development of the site. The County used a multi-pronged public involvement process that included stakeholder interviews, a public open house, and a public hike through the Open Space to obtain citizen input on various aspects of the master plan. Construction of Phase I Improvements commenced in 2020 and was completed in early 2022.

The Open Space is located at 12791 Squirrel Creek Road (4.1 miles east of the intersection of Link and Squirrel Creek Roads) and includes 495 acres of scenic open space, trailhead parking area including spaces for equestrian vehicles, portable restroom, and the 3.5-mile out-and-back Lariat Loop doubletrack trail. The site will be open from 5 a.m. till 9 p.m., April through October, and 6 a.m. till 6 p.m. November through March.

Click Link to View Trail Map