Blue Sky Connection

The Blue Sky Connection is a story about connection in more ways than one. Nestled among the majestic foothills of the Front Range sits a vital puzzle piece of Colorado’s public lands that would otherwise be lost to development.

This 167-acre parcel is surrounded by public land with Mount Pence to the west and Bergen Peak to the east. Also to the east is Elk Meadow Park, and as the park’s name implies, it is home to herds of grazing elk and 13.5 miles of trails, popular for hiking, running, bird watching, and horseback riding.

Trust for Public Land helped purchase this lynchpin property that holds the promise of connectivity and conservation. Now it links two incredible outdoor partners together—Denver Parks & Recreation and Jefferson County Open Space, who will both co-own this space—while physically connecting their adjacent lands and missions together.

This area is not only part of a wildlife corridor that provides habitat for elk, moose, mule deer, black bears, and the bald eagle, but it also delivers on the promise to connect people to the outdoors. Just a half an hour outside of Denver’s city center, the Blue Sky Connection will create over 4,000 acres of contiguous public land that connects to the Arapaho National Forest. As part of the public land system, this beautiful green space will provide new opportunities to connect to awesome public lands and trails, to nature, and to each other.