Hiking in Colorado Springs, Colorado

I did part of this hike at the end of April. I didn't know then that despite the snowmelt in most of the area (Colorado Springs, Woodland Park & Divide), this trail runs along the north face of one ridge and the south face of another. So the snow was still quite deep. So with no snowshoes, the only one who enjoyed that trek was the dog. Drive west...

North Cheyenne Creek slices through Cheyenne Canyon, bordered on the north by Mays Peak and Mount Buckhorn, and on the south by Mount Cutler and Muscoco Mountain. Columbine Trail traces the cut of the creek from the canyon’s mouth in southwestern Colorado Springs, west about four miles to its terminus at Helen Hunt Falls. With the lower trailhead...

In the southwest corner of the Garden of the Gods park you’ll find a small, almost hidden trailhead. The interlocking trails from this location offer an easy 2.5 mile meander through the rock strewn lower reaches of the Front Range. Because of the segmented nature of this trail complex, you can do any portion of it as a discrete hike; or you can recombine...

Here is a leisurely family hike you can do in a morning or afternoon. The hike is only 2 miles in length. Mt Cutler — named after Henry Cutler, one of General Palmer’s friends and a supporter of Colorado College — rises above Cheyenne Creek about half way up the Cheyenne Canyon, on the south side. The trailhead is well marked and has ample parking....

Old Gold Camp Road leads to many of the hiking treasures of Colorado Springs. One of my favorites is the trek from High Rd via Cap’n Jacks trail, over the ridge between Mt Kineo and Mt Buckhorn, down through Jones Park, and up the Bear Creek run to the meadow below Tuckaway Mtn. Total elevation gain for this journey is about 2400 ft over a distance...

The GPS file for this guide represents the hike. However, the drive to the trailhead is as important to your enjoyment of the adventure as the hike itself. So plan for a drive time of at least and hour from the time you exit I-25 (see directions below). I’d recommend even longer, especially if this is your first time using Old Stage & Gold Camp Roads....

One of the easiest ways to experience many different pieces of terrain is to trek through a “loop hike.” This particular loop hike lives up to expectations. Behind the Air Force Academy is a 9300 ft tall, unnamed massif, flanked on the north by Eagle Peak and on the south by Blodgett Peak. The SC-WMC Loop trail takes you up the canyon on the north...

This is a beautiful section of the “Ring the Peak” trail system. The distance from Horsethief Falls trailhead to Putney Gulch trailhead is 4 miles. You can begin at either end; both are easily accessible to cars. The Putney Gulch location is also used for camping, and there are several good camping spots along the trail if you want to do more than...

Monument Creek flows north through the Front Range, around the north side of Raspberry Mtn, and down into the town of Monument, where it turns south, paralleling I-25. Then it runs down through Colorado Springs, where it finally joins Fountain Creek on its way to become part of the Arkansas River on the south side of Pueblo, CO. This guide begins at...

Rising 800 ft above the 4 Mile Creek valley floor, Dome Rock is the quintessential Colorado destination. Adjacent to Meuller State Park, just south of Divide and north of Cripple Creek, you can hike here from mid-July to the end of November. This area is restricted because it is one of the few areas where Big Horn Sheep drop and nurture their lambs....

Just east of the Rampart Range section of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains the plains limestone buttes rise randomly across the plains. One of the largest of these rocky islands is Spruce Mountain, situated west of I-25 and north of the small town of Palmer Park, CO. Spruce Mtn. provides a delightful opportunity to enjoy views of Pikes Peak, Rampart...

Sentinel Point stands out. I first saw it on the way up to the Dome Rock viewpoint about 4 miles farther west. It looked formidable then. I can tell you now, you will remember this hike. This 12,500 ft mountain received its name because it seems to stand as a guard to the west side of Pikes Peak. It is aptly named. The hike is not all that long, but...

A fairly short drive from Denver brings you to the town of Palmer Lake which was named after General William Jackson Palmer. General Palmer was a man who seemed to accomplish more in one year than most people do in a lifetime. His early interest in railroading led him to a successful career in that field. While still quite young, he was sent to Great...

Paradise Cove (also known as Guffey Cove) is a hidden little swimming hole near Cripple Creek. The cove is a short, but sometimes steep 1/2 mile (one way) hike. You will be rewarded for your modest effort with an afternoon of fun, and a whole lot of good stories to tell your friends. The cove itself is a small but deep pool, fed by a small waterfall....

This 1.5 mile trail is a great example of the ecology and geography of the Castle Rock area. It offers much of the same experience as the nearby castlewood canyon with out the crowds. This trail is fun and there is beauty to be found here, however, I wouldn't drive more than 30 minutes to visit this trail. The trail climbs to the western rim of the...