Eldorado Canyon State Park Management Plan
The Eldorado Canyon State Park (ECSP) Management Plan serves as the guiding document for the park by providing a framework for the management of park resources and visitor experience.
The plan is the result of extensive information gathering and collaboration with stakeholders.
What information was used to create the draft plan?
Establishing the plan’s purpose and Eldorado Canyon State Park’s vision and goals helped CPW to determine what information was needed and create the planning process. The plan inputs ( information used to craft the draft plan included the Resource Stewardship Plan, and public and partner engagement) are described in Chapter 1.
The resulting Management Plan and its use will lead to results that support the park’s vision and goals.
Existing Conditions: What did CPW hear, learn and confirm?
In addition to the inputs summarized in Chapter 1, Chapters 2-4 detail the park’s resources (natural, cultural, scenic, recreational, facilities and infrastructure) and visitation trends.
Stakeholders (local residents, recreation and conservation groups, park visitors and more) had important but differing views on the increasing visitation to ESCP and the potential impacts to the community, visitor experience and park resources. The ‘perception gaps’ in these differing viewpoints needed to be bridged through listening, data gathering and documenting existing conditions.
Proposed Management Approach
Chapter 5 explores using Management Zones (designated areas within the park) to create a spatial framework for long-term management of the park. Zone types and boundaries are based on “Desired Future Conditions” (Chapter 1).
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Beyond the timeframe of this plan, what should the park resources, management focus and visitor experience be into the future?
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How did CPW use the inputs? What are we going to do? What are indicators of success for plan implementation?
Chapter 6 outlines ongoing and new efforts to minimize the impacts of high visitation to neighbors, visitors and staff.
In order to (1) maintain a quality visitor experience, (2) avoid surpassing CPW’s ability to maintain the high quality resource conditions in the park, and (3) improve working conditions for staff and volunteers, management strategies in the following focus areas are being considered for implementation:
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Health, Safety and Staffing
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Natural and Cultural Resource Protection
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Communication
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Access and Parking
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Trails and Picnic Area
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Other Facilities and Infrastructure
Final Plan and Appendices
