June 23, 2020 – The El Paso County Parks system is pleased to announce the opening of the Pineries Open Space on Saturday, June 27, 2020.
The Pineries Open Space is the newest addition to the El Paso County Parks system and is located at 13201 Volmer Road, a little more than a half mile north of the intersection of Vollmer Road and Shoup Road. The Pineries includes 1,070 acres of scenic open space, a large trail head, approximately 8.5 miles of single-track trails, and a restroom for the public. The open space will be open from dawn to dark.
The land for the Pineries Open Space was accepted by El Paso County through the land development process. The site straddles the Palmer Divide in the Black Forest area and is characterized by gentle rolling terrain, grassland meadows, ponderosa pine forests, wetlands, and small ponds dotting the area. The open space also boasts abundant wildlife, including elk, white tail deer, various raptor birds, and wild turkeys. The Palmer Land Trust holds a conservation easement for the site which ensures the wildlife, aesthetic, recreational, ecological, and scenic values will be preserved and maintained in perpetuity.
While the Pineries Open Space Master Plan was completed in 2010 the area was extremely damaged by the Black Forest Fire in 2013. The fire delayed the opening of the site for public use.