hail cover
Storm pelts area with pea- and marble-sized hail

An intense hailstorm Tuesday night left some parts of southern Park County 16 inches deep in hailstones.

The storm particularly affected three adjacent public areas: Spinney Mountain State Park, 11 Mile State Park, and the Charlie Meyers State Wildlife Area.

Hail damaged several park roads, some county roads, and caused scattered flooding in the area.

Debbi Peterson was one of a few people camping at 11 Mile when the storm hit.

"The lightning caught my attention first," she said. "It was intense. Then, around 9 p.m., the hail came down. It was loud and just pounding. I even went to see if someone was knocking at my door, that's what it sounded like. Thankfully, no dents to my truck or my camper."

John Gardner and Rod Derby, both from Colorado Springs, were several miles away at Antero Reservoir admiring the lightning and watching on radar as the storm moved above the park.

"I wouldn't have wanted to be at 11 Mile then, that's for sure," Gardner said.

"We drove over there this morning and it looked like it had snowed," said Derby. "There was hail all over everything."

The hail ranged from pea-size to marble-size and piled up in large clumps, covered by debris from receding floodwaters.

Colin Duffey was unaware of the hailstorm when he went to fish Wednesday along the South Platte River, in a stretch called the Dream Stream because of the number of prized fish there.

"The storm killed a lot of fish," he said. "And the river is high, too. Normally it's clear, but today, it looks like chocolate milk. Nothing is biting."

Park rangers had reopened roads damaged by the storm around midday, but Spinney Mountain Park remained closed as rangers further evaluated damage there.

The parks and wildlife area are approximately 50 miles and an hour's drive west from Colorado Springs.