Monument Hill

About Monument Hill

Monument Hill (aka Black Forest Divide Pass) is a 7,352 foot (2,241 meter) mountain pass on the Palmer Divide in central Colorado. It is the 4th lowest mountain pass in the state. The pass divides the Arkansas River drainage system to the south and the Platte River drainage system to the north and is the high point on I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs. The town of Monument sits on the southern slope of Monument Hill. The area is a hub for outdoor activities, including biking, horseback riding, and hiking along the 15-mile Santa Fe Regional Trail. This pass, 51 miles / 82 km to the north of Denver and 20 miles / 32 km south of Colorado Springs, separates the northern and southern Colorado regions. It is known for sudden weather changes, frequently serving as a stark dividing line for snow and visibility conditions during Front Range storms. Monument Hill receives heavier precipitation and colder temperatures than the surrounding Denver and Colorado Springs metropolitan areas. With I-25 climbing steeply over the pass, this ascent often catches drivers by surprise. Commuters will sometimes experience sunny conditions in Castle Rock or Colorado Springs while facing blizzard or icy driving conditions on the hill/pass itself. Monument Hill, features a hemiboreal continental climate characterized by warm, mild summers and cold, exceptionally snowy winters, and frequent high winds. While neighboring Colorado Springs only averages about 33 inches / 84 centimeters of snow annually, Monument Hill, just 20 miles away, thanks to its specific topography, receive an average of 111 inches / 282 centimeters of snowfall per snow season.