Popular Staunton trails to close during the week due to construction
Kara Van Hoose
July 30, 2025
Popular Staunton trails to close during the week due to construction
PINE, Colo. —- Popular trails on the western side of Staunton State Park will be closed Monday through Friday due to a dam rehabilitation project at Elk Falls Pond. The affected trails are West Meadow, Lions Back, Chimney Rock, Elk Falls, Lions Head Loop and Elk Falls Overlook. The closures will begin August 4 and remain in place for the remainder of the project, expected to end by October 31.
Due to poor soil conditions at the project site and its remote location, the heavy equipment must operate on the administrative road through Staunton. Park visitors are highly encouraged to use trails instead of the administrative roadway in order to allow construction vehicles uninterrupted access to the work site. Trail access along Bugling elk to Marmot Passage will remain open. Staunton will also experience increased dump truck and concrete truck traffic during this time.
The ongoing rehabilitation project will replace the 100-year-old dam at Elk Creek Reservoir. The work, which began in June, will address several safety deficiencies which increase risk for long-term water storage. Once complete, the dam will comply with safety regulatory requirements and maintain the backcountry aesthetic at Staunton by using native vegetation, rocks and other earthen materials found in the park.
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) is an enterprise agency, relying primarily on license sales, state parks fees and registration fees to support its operations, including: 43 state parks and more than 350 wildlife areas covering approximately 900,000 acres, management of fishing and hunting, wildlife watching, camping, motorized and non-motorized trails, boating and outdoor education. CPW's work contributes approximately $6 billion in total economic impact annually throughout Colorado.
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