Update on April 26, 2024:
Trail access along the Arkansas River near City Park in Pueblo and the new Waterworks Park project is now open to pedestrians and cyclists. Construction on the project in the river is ongoing, so trail users are advised to use extreme caution. The new foot bridge across the river is also open.
Original story from Jan. 3, 2024:
Nearly a mile of paved bike and hiking trail on the south side of the Arkansas River is temporarily closed heading east from City Park. The closure is as part of an $11 million project to replace a dangerous dam and create a new recreation area.
The closure is expected to last into late February while a pedestrian bridge near the park is removed and replaced. The trail on the north side of the river between Pueblo Boulevard and Wild Horse Creek remains open.
Pueblo Water is funding most of the project to build the new Waterworks Park, which, once complete, will allow river users to float, kayak, or otherwise navigate about eight miles from below the Lake Pueblo dam to Runyon Lake. Other funding comes from the city, county, and Pueblo Conservancy District.
Construction on the portion of the new recreation park that includes drop pools is also slated to begin in January. Drop pools are man-made features where the river elevation decreases over a short distance.
The entire project is expected to be completed this summer.
