Spring Canyon Trail Complex

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Colorado Springs, Co

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Difficulty: Easy
Length: 2.5 miles / 4.0 km
Duration: 1-3 hours

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Overview: 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 the segments anyway you desire. You’ll experience wild rock formations, wide vistas (especially looking south toward Cheyenne Mountain), and shaded, shadowed stream beds.

Tips: Directions: Exit I-25 at Garden of the Gods exit. Drive east to the end of the road where it “T’s” into 31st St. Turn left (south) and drive to the Garden of the God’s entrance sign. Turn right. Once inside the park, you’ll have to turn right onto the tourist loop road. From the entrance sign to the Spring Canyon turn off is approximately 2 miles.

1. Watch for traffic as you drive. Tourists are intent on seeing the sights in the garden, not watching for hikers or people with a goal in mind.
2. This is a dry hike most of the time. Take water. However, if there’s been rain, parts of the trail can be muddy.
3. Dogs are welcome on a leash; you may encounter horse trains on the Siamese Twins trail — off-leash dogs and horses are not a good combination, especially for the erstwhile cowpokes on their backs.

Points of Interest

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Trailhead

The trailhead for this hike is a small parking lot (about a dozen places) off the primary road, approximately two miles from the entrance to the Garden. The trailhead is the center point for the hike in that, if you’ll follow this guide, you’ll either cross it or skirt it twice on your way along the path; the trail as I’ve plotted it here forms a pair of butterfly wings, culminating with a walk along the main body line. Leave from the south side of the lot on the path leading to the Siamese Twins rock formation.

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Siamese Twns

Joined at the head and the hip, the Twins supplies a fantastical example of wind and water erosion of rock formations making up the Garden of the Gods. Take time to look at it from every view point, especially the one that frames Pike’s Peak; then resume your walk back down the marked trail towards the trailhead. Siamese Twins Loop is approximately .5 miles.

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Cabin Canyon Trail Split

Just before you arrive back at the parking lot, the trail splits off to the north. Follow the signs for the Cabin Canyon Trail. Remember this spot, because you’ll return here for the final portion of the hike. The Cabin Canyon Trail forms the left hand wing of the “butterfly,” taking you north and west around a small hill.

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Trail Split 2

After about a third mile, the trail hits a “T” intersection. To the right is a trail up to “Balanced Rock” (this will add about a quarter mile to your hike if you detour out and back, certainly worth the time and effort; or you could drive down to it later). For our purposes here, turn left and follow the trail back to the trailhead. Cross the entrance road and follow the trail back to the split described at POI 3. Cabin Canyon Loop is approximately .7 miles.

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Spring Canyon Sand Trail

The final portion of this hike begins about 30 feet beyond the Cabin Canyon Trial marker. Follow the unmarked trail off to the right. This will take you up Spring Canyon for about a half mile. As you follow the trail, you’ll come to what looks like a very sandy path/stream bottom. Turn left and follow the sand (if you miss the first turn the path will come to it again soon). As you ascend the canyon, it will narrow and become more gnarly, even forcing you to go around some large rock obstructions. You’ll know you’ve reached the end when you reach a “Y” in the stream/path, both of which seem blocked.

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Spring Canyon End

Here’s the end of this trail (actually, the middle of the last segment). All you have to do now is turn around and follow the path back to the trailhead. Watch your footing on the way back; the sand makes some of the rock surfaces slippery. Spring Canyon out & back is approximately 1 mile.