The Chamberlain Trail will someday connect Cheyenne Mountain State Park to the Blodget Peak area. The Chamberlain Trail has been anticipated for a century, and a major piece has been recently added but it has a long way to go. Obtaining rights-of-way for this trail along the western edge of Colorado Springs is a big part of the delay.
While hiking the existing and proposed alignment, I came to appreciate the six abandoned gates spotted along the way. These illustrate private land blocked off decades ago, but now abandoned. Each must have a story to tell.
Hiking time is thinking time. Always on the lookout for pieces of history along the trail, it hit me that these six gates illustrate the ongoing accomplishments of opening up new trails in the area.
(The following gates are not on the proposed Chamberlain Trail, but the still illustrate the idea of the story.)
No sign of the road or grade crossing exist, but the gate still stands guard, built to last with railroad ties.
In addition to this lost gate, a cattle guard and a second wide gate stands nearby, yet there is no sign of the road that once was there.
Photo by T Duren Jones 2022
This gate blocked a critical trail connection for many years until access was finally granted in the 1990’s. The gate was left with the combination padlock still in place to celebrate the end of the blockade of the trail between Colorado Springs and Monument, via the USAFA.
This photo is a decade old, and the historic gate is now loaded with padlocks placed by lovers; keys dramatically tossed away.
There will be many more to be discovered, but the six gates seen in these photos highlight land that was once off limits to the public and are now passed by in exploration of the land they once guarded.
The top two gates are near South Cheyenne Canyon. The bottom four gates can be found in chapter 19 of the book Easy Hikes to the Hidden Past – Pikes Peak Region.
Footnote: Chamberlain Trail is now open between Old Stage Road and Bear Creek Park.
Exploring the lesser known Pikes Peak Region 
Very nice article Rocky! Any idea who Chamberlain was?
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I wish I did!
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Fred Chamberlain, I think? He donated some acreage when the city bought NCC.
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Thank you, Kate, that makes sense. Fred also had a brother Frank that was involved in the same area. I love this stuff! Rocky
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