Colorado Breaks Ground on Rosemont Reservoir Recreation Area
Colorado Parks and Wildlife and Colorado Springs Utilities are developing a new campground and day-use area near Colorado Springs.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in National Parks
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Colorado Parks and Wildlife broke ground on a recreation area at Rosemont Reservoir in October 2026, with Gov. Jared Polis in attendance. The development in Teller County will add 40 new campsites and is expected to open to the public in early summer 2027.
Why it matters
The project expands public recreation access at a reservoir that has been part of the Colorado Springs water system since 1973. It gives residents of the state a new camping option in the Pike-San Isabel National Forests.
The plan calls for 40 campsites, 35 of them primitive and five developed for tent camping, roughly 12 miles southwest of Colorado Springs. The early summer 2027 opening is a projection, and the source does not give a construction budget.
The players
Colorado Parks and Wildlife
The state agency responsible for managing Colorado's parks, wildlife and outdoor recreation areas, including the new Rosemont Reservoir site.
Colorado Springs Utilities
The municipal utility that operates the city's water system, which has included Rosemont Reservoir since 1973 and is co-developing the recreation area.
Jared Polis
The governor of Colorado, who attended the groundbreaking ceremony for the Rosemont Reservoir project.
The details
Colorado Parks and Wildlife is developing the site as a collaborative effort with Colorado Springs Utilities, which has owned the reservoir's water system since 1973. Planned features include a non-motorized boat ramp and a day-use area with picnic tables, vault toilets and a pavilion, with CPW staff and an on-site campground host supporting operations and an online reservation system.
Timeline
1932: Broadmoor Hotel Water and Power Company constructs Rosemont Reservoir.
1973: The reservoir becomes part of Colorado Springs Utilities' water system.
October 2026: CPW breaks ground on the recreation area.
Early summer 2027: The area is expected to open to the public.
Roadmap
The project follows a pattern in which Colorado uses reservoirs built for municipal water supply as public recreation sites, combining utility infrastructure with state-run camping. It extends that model to Rosemont Reservoir, which has served Colorado Springs' water system since 1973.
Campers planning for the 2027 season will be able to reserve sites through CPW's online system once it is operational. The mix of 35 primitive and five developed tent sites suggests the area will suit tent campers more than RV users.
The takeaway
Reservoirs built for water supply are increasingly being opened for recreation, giving Colorado residents more camping options close to the Front Range. Travelers should watch for the 2027 opening and plan reservations once the online booking system launches.
What happens next
The recreation area is expected to open to the public in early summer 2027, pending completion of the planned facilities.
Further reading
For more on public land destinations, explore National Parks coverage across Colorado.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Theepochtimes.
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