Went up to the range today, to my surprise the road had been graded. I almost had a heart-attack!
The bone jarring,car rattling, boulder strewn road is no more! until the next heavy rain that is...

awesome. thanks for the update.

:)  They grade it every year - don't worry!  It'll be back to a bone-jarring almost off-road experience in no time at all.

I've heard a lot of things about rampart range, that it's closed, that it's not, that paintballing is ok.. could someone fill me in?

Also, how the heck dya get there?

Actually, the forest service rarely ever grades a forest service road.  Only if it is required to keep it open.  Some cities and counties do, but usually only if there is a need.  Rampart gets graded by Teller County from Woodland Park to Farish Memorial because the US Air Force Academy pays them to do it.  The lower end gets graded out of the Springs Parks budget because of the shooting area.  As you have noted though, they neglect it to an extreme.  Us shooters don't matter as much.  As for the closed areas.  Mostly just where there has been burn from the Hayman fire.  The forest service has a map on their website of the closed area, but it's real hard to read.  Karl.


Edit to add;

Colorado State Forest Service


It's being updated right now, but this is where you can find the map of closed areas due to the fire.  Karl.

I would also like directions to the range if anyone has those available...

thanks

EDITED TO ADD:  Nevermind, found this info on the web here shortly after my post.  Thought I would share with Not_A_Llama

Location: On Rampart Range Road about 5 miles west of Garden of the Gods (head northwest on Rampart Range Road off of Garden Dr near Balenced Rock in the Garden of the Gods Park in Colorado Springs. The road can be rough but is usually passable by automobiles.)
Cost: No Charge
Hours: Sun up to sun down
Facilities: Pistol and rifle
Remarks: Pack out your trash. Range is not controlled and inexperienced shooters may be present.

You go into the Garden of the Gods park area. The road runs right behind the balanced rock. If you find the balanced rock you'll find the dirt road running up the hill behind it.

There is a pistol range of sorts, maybe 30 to fifty yards long. A shooting bench, no target stands.

There are about six to eight rifle benches on the rifle range. Bare metal tables. No target stands. There are no facilities here. And I refuse to go alone. It is the wild west up there and I wouldn't trust anything left on the bench to be there when you get back. Last time I was up there a heard of people were wandering around - not shooters - looking for handouts and picking up brass to sell.

Do not leave the shooting area at all with your guns. If you wander out of the area you will be ticketed. You can only shoot in that area. You can't shoot anywhere else along the road due to the density of the housing. The fine is between $100 and $150 for shooting out of bounds.

There is no paintball facility that I am aware of. Just open national forest. I'd be learly of playing up there as the residents might get the wrong idea and call the rangers. If you want to play paintball then Dragon Man's is the way to go.