Public land is expanding in the foothills west of Colorado Springs. The U.S.
Forest Service on Wednesday announced acquiring nearly 130 acres of previously private property — a swath of stream-fed pine and aspen with wildlife-frequented meadows and mountain views. The acreage is being referred to as the Wagon Tongue Co. property, just south of Lake George, between Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument and Eleven Mile Reservoir.
In a news release, the Forest Service called it a "strategic" acquisition for "conservation, recreation and wildfire prevention." The move comes as the agency in recent years has been intensely focused on controlled burns and timber cutting in the populated area seen as vulnerable. Surrounding subdivisions "often face annual wildfire threats," South Park District Ranger Josh Voorhis said in the news release.
"We still have (environmental) work, so it won't be immediate, but as we get additional paperwork in place, we're looking at using this property to access an area we previously didn't have access to," Voorhis told The Gazette. Beyond the logistical interest in the nearly 130 acres, "it's gorgeous," he said. He called it "fairly unique" for the Pike and San Isabel national forests to add such a riparian area following a history of homesteaders and miners taking up land by water.
"Most of that is private land," Voorhis said. "So this was an opportunity for us to acquire water, that stream, Wagon Tongue Gulch. Which is pretty significant.
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