Sondermann Park

Directions:

From southbound I-25: Exit at Fontanero Street (exit #144) and turn right. Turn left at the 4-way stop onto N Chestnut St.  Turn right at W Caramillo Street and continue straight until you reach the parking lot at Beidleman Environmental Center.

From northbound I-25: Exit at Uintah St. (exit #143) and turn left. Turn right on Walnut Street, which after a sharp curve becomes W Buena Ventura St. Turn right on N. Chestnut, then left on W Caramillo. Continue straight until you reach the parking lot at Beidleman Environmental Center.

From the west: Go east on Uintah St. Turn left at Walnut St., then follow the same directions as “from northbound I-25” above.

Description:

Sondermann Park is a small but attractive urban park on the west side of Colorado Springs. Most trails are hiking only, although the Mesa Valley Connection Trail running through the center allows horses and bikes.

One of Sondermann’s highlights is the small creek running along the eastern side of the park. Wooden footbridges, shallow pools, ice-scapes in winter, and a thick layer of colorful leaves in the fall make the creek an interesting environment for kids and adults alike.

Sondermann is family-friendly in other ways, as well. There is a playground at the parking lot, picnic tables are scattered throughout the park, and the generally wide and flat Mesa Valley trail is good for biking. Finally, most of the trails are no more than half a mile long, making for short and easy explorations.

On the flip side, the small size of the park means that the trail network is not as deep, and in many places, houses are visible from the paths. Considering its location in the middle of the city, however, Sondermann is surprisingly secluded and makes for a pleasant little outing.