Hike recommendations near Colorado Springs

[hoosierhunter11]

Hey folks,

My family will be traveling to Colorado Springs next week for a funeral. We'll be there for about 5 days for the celebration of life and family time. We're wanting to enjoy some outdors while we're there and looking for some hiking recommendations as well as some recommendations for where to see some deer and elk feeding. Can anyone point us in the right direction given the season? Thanks!

 

[def90]

Manitou incline if you want to know what you are made of. Garden of the Gods for easy scenic hikes. Just look at a map and go up highway 24 for more hikes.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Hey folks,

My family will be traveling to Colorado Springs next week for a funeral. We'll be there for about 5 days for the celebration of life and family time. We're wanting to enjoy some outdors while we're there and looking for some hiking recommendations as well as some recommendations for where to see some deer and elk feeding. Can anyone point us in the right direction given the season? Thanks!

Deer and elk feeding I’d go around by the broadmoore hotel, or take a drive up hwy 24 over by divide herds tend to hang on some ranches near the highway. Plenty of trails near town not sure what the snow pack is like. Cheyenne Mt. state park is a nice trailhead will probably see some nice bucks there too if they haven’t dropped their antlers yet

 

[Bluefish]

Cheyanne canyon park has several nice hikes, good views from gold camp road. Palmer park has some nice views from the top also right in town.

 

[Dooms]

The Paint Mines out in Calhan are a touch out of the way, but spectacular. The Florissant Fossil Beds are a nice take as well. If you are coming up from the flat lands stay off the Manitou Incline, the EMTs will thank you. As far as deer and elk feeding, if you keep your eyes open you can see deer and elk in local neighborhoods on the west side of town. Red Rock Canyon is proximal to Garden of the Gods but less of a tourist magnet with some longer hikes.

If this is your first time in Colorado... Drink a LOT of water. No, more than that. Keep going. That is just barely enough. Second, booze hits harder at altitude. Lastly, if you need a good metric to really understand just how different the altitude is, sprint 100 yards. If you already know all of this, apologies.

- Dooms

 

[Mtnmilsurp]

Don’t be fooled by the warm sunny February afternoons. As soon as the sun goes down or the wind picks up or a cold front hits it’ll suddenly feel bitterly cold and chill you to the bone. Always bring your puffies everywhere.

 

[DougR67]

Red Rock Canyon Open Space has nice easy hiking trails. Make sure to take the lake loop.