Key stretch of 14er trail acquired by conservation group – but you still can’t visit summit

In recent years, those headed to hike a trail best known as the ‘DeCaLiBron loop’ have experienced intermittent limited access due to various closures in the area. One group hopes to make headway in changing that reality, announcing the recent acquisition of 480-plus acres on Mount Bross.

Mount Bross is one of four 14,000-foot summits along the DeCaLiBron route, joined by summits of Democrat, Cameron, and Lincoln. Clocking in at 7.5-miles round-trip with 3,500 of gain, the route is among the most popular high-elevation routes in Colorado, upwards of 30,000 people during peak years when fully open.

Per reporting from Colorado Springs Gazette’s Seth Boster, the recent acquisition by The Conservation Fund has been described as “a major win for conservation and public access” and as “a step forward after decades of complex land ownership and trail closures that have challenged land managers and impacted local communities that rely on outdoor recreation for economic stability.”

The land that was recently acquired on the southern side of Bross joins an area above Kite Lake that encompasses some of the highest stretches of Mount Democrat that was acquired by The Conservation Fund in 2023. A stretch of trail between Mount Lincoln and Mount Bross was also acquired in the most recent acquisition, though the summit of Mount Bross remains private.

The 480 acres that were recently acquired will be added to national forest land in the area, potentially finalized within the year.

Read the full report from Seth Boster of the Colorado Springs Gazette here.