Forever Protected: Wild Horse Ranch
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1,018 Acres Safeguarded for People and Wildlife on Colorado Springs' East Side
There is a particular kind of quiet that settles over shortgrass prairie in the early morning east of Colorado Springs, and though it might seem as if it has always been this tranquil—mining and cattle operations punctuated the quietness for over a hundred years. At Wild Horse Ranch, that quiet has been returning as the land has restored itself, and this week, it became permanent.
Palmer Land Conservancy, in partnership with the City of Colorado Springs and Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO), is proud to announce the permanent protection of Wild Horse Ranch—1,018 acres of recovering shortgrass prairie, wetlands, and wildlife habitat on Colorado Springs' east side. Through a conservation easement finalized this week, this land is now protected forever, ensuring it will serve both the community and the wildlife that call it home for generations to come.
A Landscape That Has Come Full Circle
The story of Wild Horse Ranch is, in many ways, the story of this land's resilience.
In the 1880s, coal miners descended on this stretch of prairie east of Colorado Springs, establishing the small town of Franceville and extracting the fuel that powered a growing region. The mines operated until the 1960s, removing more than seven million tons of coal. When the strip mining finally ceased, the land was left to begin its long recovery.
What followed is a quiet testament to nature's persistence. Native grasses reclaimed the undulating slopes shaped by Dust Bowl-era soil conservation efforts. Pronghorn returned. Migratory birds took refuge in the wetlands surrounding a large spring-fed pond—a gem of the property.
Today, 992 acres of shortgrass prairie stretch across the property, joined by wetlands, riparian areas along Jimmy Camp Creek, and that spring-fed pond—a landscape that has shifted from prairie to extraction site, cattle grazing, and back to prairie again. The permanent protection ensures this journey ends here, with the land protected forever.
Connecting People and Wildlife
Wild Horse Ranch sits at the intersection of two critical needs.
For the rapidly growing communities on Colorado Springs' east side, it represents a future where outdoor recreation is close to home. Located directly south of State Highway 94, the property will eventually offer trails and recreation opportunities following a comprehensive master planning process. The conservation easement—required by GOCO as a condition of their grant funding—guarantees the city can never develop this public asset, no matter what future pressures may arise.
"This protected property represents a permanent commitment to Colorado Springs' east-side residents and the natural systems that sustain our region," said Rebecca Jewett, President and CEO of Palmer Land Conservancy. "Through community-driven conservation, we're ensuring this landscape supports people and wildlife for generations to come."
For wildlife, Wild Horse Ranch fills a crucial gap. With close proximity to Corral Bluffs and Jimmy Camp Creek Open Spaces, the property contributes to a 2,000+ acre wildlife corridor where pronghorn, migratory birds, and prairie dogs can move freely across a landscape increasingly fragmented by development. Black-tailed prairie dogs, red-tailed hawks, and mule deer already make their home here. The conservation easement ensures they always will.
Conservation That Lasts
The City of Colorado Springs acquired Wild Horse Ranch in May 2023 for $7.5 million through the voter-approved Trails, Open Space and Parks (TOPS) Program—a swift response to a property that had been under contract for private development before The Conservation Fund stepped in to work with the City. GOCO awarded the city a grant in early 2024 to help fund the acquisition, with the conservation easement required as a condition of that investment.
"Strategic collaboration is key to protecting the outdoors and all it provides," said Jackie Miller, GOCO Executive Director. "At Wild Horse Ranch, this approach has secured critical wildlife habitat, expanded recreation access for a growing community, and preserved a piece of our state's history. This kind of multi-layered, lasting impact is what GOCO was created to support."
That collaboration—between a city that moved quickly to protect a threatened landscape, a state funding partner committed to lasting public benefit, and Palmer with nearly five decades of conservation experience—is what makes this protection real and permanent.
"Wild Horse Ranch represents an incredible opportunity to preserve one of the large grassland landscapes on Colorado Springs' east side while planning for future public access and recreation," said Lonna Thelen, Parks Design and Development Manager and TOPS Program Manager for the City of Colorado Springs. "We're grateful to everyone who helped make this project possible and look forward to working together as we plan for the property's future stewardship and public enjoyment."
What Comes Next
The master planning process—which will explore trail alignments, recreation opportunities, and the property's rich natural and cultural history—is the next chapter. That work will take time, and it will take community input.
In the meantime, the shortgrass prairie continues its quiet recovery. The spring-fed pond reflects the wide Colorado sky. Pronghorn move across the landscape as they have for centuries.
And now, they always will.
Palmer Land Conservancy has permanently protected more than 150,000 acres across Colorado, including 21 public parks and open spaces. Wild Horse Ranch joins a growing constellation of protected lands that ensure the Colorado Good Life—its natural beauty, outdoor recreation, and wildlife—is here for everyone, forever. Help protect more places like Wild Horse Ranch; make a donation to Palmer today to protect what you love about Colorado.