Waldo Canyon Loop

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Colorado Springs, Co

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 7.0 miles / 11.3 km
Duration: 1-3 hours

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Overview: The Waldo Canyon Loop hike is one of the most popular hikes in the Colorado Springs area. Accordingly, you’ll find a large parking area at the trailhead. Even with all the space available, you may have to park across the highway if you arrive later than the normal start time. I’ve hiked this three times and have found that many people arrive early in the morning. Since the canyon opens to the east, this provides the best light for photos, and, in the summer, the best chance for staying cool. Hikers starting after 1600 during the summer will find the long shadows of the setting sun add a dramatic tone to their trek. The hike divides itself naturally into three parts, the approach to the loop (about 2 miles), the loop (3.5 miles), and the return. This adds to 7.5 miles, despite the trailhead sign’s declaration of 6.2. One guy I encountered ran up to the loop, ran the loop twice, and ran back. “Great 10 mile run,” he said, as he loped past me, not even breathing hard.

Long ago, way before I was born, the land that is now the “Front Range” of the Rocky Mountains was a seabed. The upper level of the seabed, which became limestone, rests on top of a layer of Peerless Dolomite, on top of the Sawatch Sandstone, which lies on a bed of granite. Geological forces caused a bulge in this formation, exposing the rock layers to the weather. Waldo Canyon was one of the results of the erosion that followed. So as you hike up and around the canyon walls, you’ll cross all of these formations. Be sure to take time to notice and enjoy the differences as you encounter them.

Directions: Exit I-25 in Colorado Springs at the Cimarron St exit (141). Turn left (west) and drive up through Manitou Springs. About a mile past the exit for Cave of the Winds, you’ll approach a right curve in Hwy 24. On the right side of the road is a hwy marker indicating a trailhead. As you round the curve, you’ll see the parking area on the right – but you can’t see it before you round the curve; so be alert and be careful.

Tips: This is a dry hike during much of the year. If you’re hiking with a dog, take water for both of you.

The trail surface is either decomposed granite or broken rock and dirt. If your dog has tender paws, I’d recommend dog-boots.

When you arrive at the “loop” portion of the trail, I recommend turning right and walking the loop counterclockwise. Going this way decreases the severity of the climb. Also, most mountain bikers ride clockwise; so they’ll be easier to spot coming toward you.

Hiking in the late spring and early summer will provide you with abundant opportunities to enjoy wildflowers. The color changes of fall arrive around the beginning of Oct.

Points of Interest

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Trailhead

You’ll know you’re in the right place by looking at the trailhead sign on the north side of the parking lot. Head for the stairs on the east end. From the parking lot you’ll climb about 17 stories to the second point of interest. As you switch back and forth across the face of the hill, look east and west along the Hwy 24 corridor, appreciating the way Fountain Creek graces the landscape as it races east to the Springs.

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Quartz Lookout

The base layer of the Front Range mountains is Colorado Granite. This granite contains a high level of quartz (veins of quartz are often accompanied by veins of gold). Occasionally, large outcroppings of quartz appear in the rock strata. This is one of those locations. It is right on the edge of the cliff above the highway; so be careful. From here you’ll walk about .75 miles to the entrance to Waldo Canyon itself.

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Waldo Canyon Lookout

Turn off the main trail here, to the right, and walk along the paths, around the boulders, to the point where you can see Manitou Springs below to the south and Waldo Canyon to the east. This is your entrance to the canyon. It runs north from here. You’ll stay high along the western wall as you head up to the beginning of the loop. Just before you come to the loop’s trail marker, you’ll cross a beautiful meadow.

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Loop Start

The beginning of the loop trail is clearly marked. If you’re tired, you can rest here on the newly constructed log bench, courtesy this year of one of the local Eagle Scouts and his troop. You’ll cross Waldo Creek here and begin your climb up: either up the creek to the north, or up the eastern wall to the east. I like scaling the wall first and returning down the creek. Your choice.

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Peak View

As you climb the hill, you’ll begin to see Pike’s Peak off to the southwest. From the beginning of the loop, you’ll hike across sandstone, dolomite and limestone. Watch for the changes under your feet as you ascend.

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William Canyon Trl

At this point, if you step off the trail to the east, you can see down into Williams Canyon. There is a trail from the floor of the canyon up to here. If you so desired, you could enter Williams Canyon from Manitou Springs, hike a couple of miles to the trail split, turn left, climb a half mile to the Waldo loop, hike the loop, and return via Williams Canyon. This is a beautiful alternative – see why by looking at my guide to Williams Canyon. As you hike north around the peak and back into Waldo Canyon, look out at the limestone walls on the east side of Williams. These walls are still relatively flat, not being as involved in the uplift that created the hill on which you stand.

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Waldo Creek

You are now at the northern most portion of the loop. From here back to the trail split (about a mile), you’ll hike along the tortured banks of Waldo Creek. In the spring, it’s everything you’d want a rushing mountain stream to be. In the late fall, the waters flow mostly underground, the only evidence of their existence being occasional pools where the terrain levels out sufficiently to slow their descent. In June and July it's still wet enough for the wild roses to brighten the forested path.

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Rock!

I’m not sure if this giant mushroom formation was created from a fallen boulder or from the erosion of the surrounding rock structures. I am sure it puts the forces at work here in a better perspective, enhancing the sense of awe you feel as you wind your way to the end of the loop