USAFA Closes New Santa Fe Trail, Severing Monument and Colorado Springs Link

The U.S. Air Force Academy closed the New Santa Fe Trail where it crosses Academy property, severing the 6.9-mile easement that provides the only safe, direct off-street connection between Monument and Colorado Springs. Bike Colorado Springs reported the closure on March 2, 2026, citing local TV coverage and an Academy press release, and noted that no reopening date has been provided.

The Academy’s updated installation access procedures, described as effective March 1, tie the decision to broader U.S. Northern Command directives. The Academy web language states, “While there is no credible threat, these adjustments, in accordance with U.S. Northern Command directives for installations within the continental United States, enhance the safety and security of personnel, facilities, and the entire installation.” The access changes explicitly list suspension of the Trusted Traveler program, increased wait times for passes and inspections, and closure of the Santa Fe Trail through the installation.

This is the latest swing in a stop-start year for the trail. Bike Colorado Springs’ timeline cites an earlier closure effective June 14, 2025, followed by a reopening July 15, 2025. BCS Communications recorded that reopening with the headline REOPENED JULY 15TH 2025 and noted access then was limited, reopening “from dusk to dawn” with users required to remain on the trail. A previous Academy security formulation reproduced on the BCS page said, “If someone is utilizing the la Forete or Santa Fe trails, they can come and go freely from sun up to sun down. If they stay on the trail, they won’t need a pass. However, that doesn’t mean that if you have a pass you can deviate.”

El Paso County Parks’ trail documentation spells out why the Academy section matters: the New Santa Fe Regional Trail is a 14-mile route that follows the old Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad right-of-way, and an easement agreement by the U.S. Air Force Academy provides a crucial 6.9 mile stretch. When the trail passes through the Academy, El Paso County’s rules require users to stay on the six-foot wide trail surface and bicyclists to wear helmets. Trailheads sit at Palmer Lake, Third Street in Monument, and Baptist Road, with other access points at Highway 105 in Monument, Northgate Road, and Ice Lake at the Air Force Academy. Park hours are listed Dawn to Dusk and El Paso County Parks Department can be reached at (719) 520-7529.

Local advocates and county staff are already flagging operational fallout. Bike Colorado Springs characterized the closure as one that “significantly disrupts the only safe, direct cycling and pedestrian connection between Monument and Colorado Springs,” and said users were “left with no viable alternatives.” The BCS Communications page warned that the situation “highlights the vulnerability of relying on a singular off-street trail for essential regional connectivity.” Bike Colorado Springs’ coverage also included the line, “The trails close on the rare occasions that our threat posture increases, and we don’t want civilians on the property for a multitude of reasons. In this instance, the gate will be closed and locked and signs will be posted.”

Beyond the gate closure, El Paso County notes facility impacts that compound the problem: the Monument trailhead restroom is seasonal and closed November 1 through March 31, the Baptist Road restroom is closed until further notice, and the North Gate parking lot will permanently close to allow construction of a new Academy Visitors Center. The county says it is establishing a Trails Watch Group to enhance safety and security on the Academy section. For now, the trail through the installation remains closed under the Academy’s March access rules and no reopening date has been announced.