After more than five years of being closed to the public, portions of the Waldo Canyon burn area are reopening. The Waldo Canyon Trail and Trailhead along Highway 24 remain closed.
The new order from the Forest Service grants access along Rampart Range Road, and allows parking in non-designated spots.
"We are proud of the massive recovery effort the Forest Service, partners, and the community has poured into Waldo and happy that we are finally able to open the area as hunting season gets going," District Ranger Oscar Martinez said in a press release.
Map explaining the revised Waldo Canyon order pic.twitter.com/Xjs5Ddyrr3
— USFS_Pike&San Isabel (@PSICC_NF) October 4, 2017
Still, hazards remain, and the Pikes Peak Ranger District says those looking to gain entry should use caution and be prepared for hiking over rough terrain and encountering debris from the Waldo Canyon Fire. Dead trees could fall, and there's also the potential for flash flooding.
Camping and campfires are still banned, and several roads in the burn scar remain closed.
The Pikes Peak Ranger District says reopening access to the trail and trailhead will still take some time and planning.
The area has been closed since 2012's Waldo Canyon Fire.
