Great Hikes for Colorado Springs Visitors
Written by Susan Mellow
( 6 Votes )Colorado Springs is such a beautiful place, you can hike here frequently for years and continue to enjoy new scenic vistas. While there are many hikes on our wish list we have yet to try, this article gives some suggestions of particularly enjoyable hikes showcasing some of Colorado Springs’ best natural treasures to share with out-of-town visitors. It goes without saying that Pike’s Peak offers an amazing hike, but we’re leaving it off of this list, as many out of town visitors would opt to travel the Cog Train or the Pike’s Peak Highway instead of making the 12.6 mile hike up Barr Trail to the summit.
- The quintessential, easy visitor hike is Garden of The Gods’ Perkins Central Garden Trail. You will find the trailhead at the main parking lot at Gateway Road and Juniper Way. This 1 mile paved trail loops through magnificent red sandstone rock formations comprising one of the most significant landmarks in the Colorado Springs area. This path is the only one on our list that is stroller and wheelchair accessible, so it’s great for any age, but it may not feel so much like a “hike” because there is virtually no elevation gain and it proceeds along a sidewalk. There are a number of other great hikes in the Garden of the Gods. We also recommend the Siamese Twins Trail, a .5 mile loop with amazing views combined with some elevation gain.
- A fun, easy hike, located in North Cheyenne Cañon, is Silver Cascade Falls Trail, also sometimes referred to as Helen Hunt Falls Trail. The trailhead for this .3 mile hike is located at the Helen Hunt Falls Visitor Center, 2.5 miles west of the Starsmore Discovery Center on North Cheyenne Cañon Road. This trail begins at Helen Hunt Falls and ends at Silver Cascade Falls, with an elevation gain of 125 feet. This hike affords views of two waterfalls and ends with an overlook offering a great view looking back down North Cheyenne Cañon. Although short, this trail feels a bit more like a hike with a more traditional hiking path and an elevation gain manageable for most people. This is both grandparent and toddler friendly.
- Another kid-friendly, yet longer, hike in North Cheyenne Cañon with great water features is Seven Bridges Trail. This trail can be accessed from the parking area at the end of North Cheyenne Cañon Road, at the intersection with Gold Camp Road and the High Drive. The trailhead, marked Forest Service Trail 622, is about .7 mile from the parking area, just after Gold Camp Road crosses North Cheyenne Creek. The trail traverses seven bridges crossing North Cheyenne Creek, and reaches Undine Falls, at which point many turn around. With children or novice hikers, this may be far enough; the total round trip hike is about 4 miles, with an approximate 1,000 foot altitude gain. For those with more stamina, this trail continues about 1.5 miles further through scree fields and then on to some amazing aspen groves, terminating at Trail 668, also known at this point as the Pipeline Trail and part of the Ring The Peaks Trail, where one can go right to Jones Park or Left to Camp Nelson and Frosty’s Park. Thanks to Friends of the Peak, this trail and its bridges are in great shape.
