Buc-ee’s already proved it was willing to push west when it opened in Johnstown, but Colorado remains the chain’s only current foothold in the Mountain West. The effort to build a second Colorado location has been far more complicated—and it may not be over after all.
The proposed store was planned near Interstate 25 and County Line Road, between Monument and Larkspur. Plans called for a roughly 74,000-square-foot travel center with approximately 120 fueling positions.
To make the project possible, the developer sought to have the property annexed into Palmer Lake. That request triggered fierce opposition involving traffic, water use, nearby open space and the size of the development.
The dispute ultimately grew into a major local political battle. Palmer Lake voters approved a measure requiring annexation proposals to go before voters, multiple elected officials left office and opponents organized a highly visible campaign against the store.
In February 2026, the developer formally withdrew the annexation application. CBS Colorado reported that the withdrawal left it unclear whether the group would try again, making the proposal appear dead.
A surprising land purchase changed the story
The most intriguing update arrived a few months later.
A company called Buc-ee’s EPCO LLC reportedly purchased the same property connected to the failed proposal. The business is tied to Buc-ee’s through its registration information and company officials. The purchase was first reported by The Denver Post, with the San Antonio Express-News later confirming details after El Paso County declined to say whether a development application had been filed.
That purchase does not amount to a new store announcement. Buc-ee’s has not confirmed that it intends to revive the Palmer Lake project, and any large travel center on the property would still face substantial land-use, infrastructure and political hurdles.
Nevertheless, owning the land gives Buc-ee’s-linked interests more control than they had during the original annexation effort. It also suggests the company has not necessarily abandoned the Interstate 25 corridor.
For the moment, Johnstown remains Colorado’s only Buc-ee’s. That location opened in March 2024 north of Denver with a 74,000-square-foot store, 116 fueling positions and hundreds of employees.
Pueblo and Lamar officials have previously expressed interest in attracting Buc-ee’s, but the company has not announced a project in either city.
The latest update, then, comes with a major caveat: the original Palmer Lake application was withdrawn, but a Buc-ee’s-linked company subsequently bought the site. Colorado’s second location is not approved or officially confirmed, yet the possibility near Palmer Lake may still be alive.
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