A southern Colorado state park has gained exclusive recognition by a leader in outdoor education.

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics recently named Cheyenne Mountain State Park a Gold Standard Site, what the Boulder-based nonprofit calls its “highest form of recognition.”

The Gold Standard distinction is for sites that pay for training and develop an action plan, demonstrating how infrastructure and programming will educate visitors on Leave No Trace principles. Sites must apply every five years to maintain the status.

“The designation process provides a framework for building a well developed Leave No Trace educational program that can result in more informed visitors and less recreation related impacts,” explains the organization’s website.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park is Colorado’s sixth state park to be named a Gold Standard Site. The others are Golden Gate Canyon, Roxborough, Castlewood Canyon, Barr Lake and Highline state parks. The city of Colorado Springs’ Parks Department and Jefferson County’s open space program also hold Gold Standard titles.

“This recognition reflects the dedication of our staff, volunteers and visitors in protecting this incredible landscape,” Cheyenne Mountain State Park Manager Jason Hagan said in a news release.

The release called the park “one of the last important open spaces along the southern section of the Colorado Front Range and offers a stunning transition from Colorado’s plains to its peaks.” The foot and flanks of the recognizable mountain are toured by 28 miles of trail.

Cheyenne Mountain State Park tallied 192,616 visits last year, according to data previously provided by Colorado Parks and Wildlife. Visitation pales in comparison to Golden Gate Canyon — one of Colorado’s busiest state parks with nearly 1.8 million visits reported in 2024 — but is comparable to other state parks with Gold Standard status.