Black Forest, Colorado Springs

Neighborhood Overview

Northeast of Colorado Springs, Black Forest, Colorado, offers both treed acreage and open meadowland. Ideal for horse owners, it is characterized by mostly 5-acres or larger parcels of land in a rural setting. Encompassing some 200,000 acres, the area has a mix of neighborhoods ranging from those with no covenants to strict covenants. The Black Forest with its country ambiance provides buyers the opportunity to “get away” from the city.

The town center of Black Forest, Colorado, is at the intersection of Shoup and Black Forest Roads. Here you can also find the community center, volunteer fire station, churches, a gas station and a country store. The area’s pine trees once provided much of the lumber in years past for construction in the Pikes Peak area. Yet hundreds of treed acres remain that provide seclusion and wilderness for the more than 14,000 Black Forest residents. Residents continue to resist attempts to become a formalized city, preferring the individuality and privacy that living in a rural area provides. Parcels of 5 acres or larger allow room for horses, along with fox, deer, coyotes, raccoons, and occasional skunks and porcupines to wander.

Things to do

The Black Forest area offers an abundance of parks offering ideal opportunities for horseback riding, hiking, enjoying a picnic and exploring nature. Some of these parks include the Black Forest Regional Park, Fox Run Regional Park and the Pineries Open Space.

The dense forest of trees which envelop the 200,000 acres that comprise the unincorporated part of El Paso County was named at the turn of the century by a German immigrant who found the dark colors of the trees reminiscent of those of the Black Forest in Germany.

Black Forest, Colorado is considered a “bedroom community” by the residents who commute from there to jobs in Colorado Springs and Denver. Many other residents are self-employed and choose to work from home or run small businesses that support the local community.

The elevation of Black Forest ranges from 6,500 feet to 7,800 feet above sea level and affords a panoramic view of Pikes Peak, U.S. Air Force Academy property and the Colorado Springs valley. It’s the highest area of land east of the Rocky Mountains and covers more than 420 square miles.

The Black Forest Community Club in the middle of town has been a gathering place for area residents since the mid- 1920s. It serves as a hub for meetings and special events, such as Boy Scout activities, private weddings, garden club gatherings, 4-H meetings and local ballet society events. One of the most well-known organizations that call Black Forest home is the Black Rose Acoustic Society. Concerts open-stage nights, music lessons and local jam nights happen throughout the year and bring artists of local and national renown to the community center.

The Black Forest Camp and Conference Center on the southwest edge of the community is open year-round for use by churches, youth groups, clubs and schools, as well as for family reunions and functions by private companies. Summer camps are scheduled for children in first grade  through high school. The boundaries of Black Forest are considered to be Highway 83 on the west to Meridian Road on the east, and Highway 105 (County Line Road) on the north, bounded on the south by Old Ranch Road.