10 Best Hiking Trails in Colorado Springs

The Barr Trail is a beast of a hike that whisks you to the very top of one of the most iconic summits in the Front Range of the Rockies. The trailhead is nestled by a dedicated carpark just outside of Manitou Springs, some 15 minutes' drive from downtown Colorado Springs. It's open all year round but there's usually deep snow by early December, so consider packing crampons or snowshoes.

The whole up-and-back trail clocks up nearly 25 miles in length and over 2,200 metres in elevation gain. That's a proper thigh-buster of a trek no matter who you are, but the rewards are ample. You'll be taken to the soaring top of Pikes Peak, one of the fabled fourteeners that are over 14,000 ft above sea level. Look forward to sweeping views of up to five separate states, from Utah down to New Mexico.

The Garden of the Gods is one of the undisputed natural jewels of the Centennial State. A designated National Natural Landmark since the early 1970s, it's a whole reserve of towering hoodoos, amazing rock formations, and fantastic hiking trails draped over the foothills of the Front Range just to the west of the downtown. A 5-minute drive from the Old Colorado City neighbourhood will bring you right to the entrance.

Hikers here can choose from 6 hiking paths within the Garden of the Gods. They range from the 1-mile loop that is the Central Garden Trail to the amazing Balanced Rock Loop Hike, which reveals one of the most incredible geological features of the area.

The Crags Trail offers hikers a chance to escape the busier walking tracks on the eastern side of the Front Range for the more remote wildernesses on the western side. That means you'll need to do some legwork before getting on the trail – the drive up US-24 through Divide and then south to the trailhead takes around 50 minutes in all.

The path itself is a moderately challenging round trip that begins on the main western ascent to Pikes Peak itself. It soon veers off that through pockets of Douglas-fir and spruces interspersed with tussock meadows, eventually revealing sets of strange redrock boulders.

The Red Rock Canyon Open Space is a designated urban nature area wedged up to the western end of Colorado Springs itself. Officially, it's within city limits, with parking on offer just off Cimmaron Street as you leave the Old Colorado City district.

There's a whole web of trails to get through. Some will take you through historic quarries that were used by pioneers raising the local frontier towns back in the Wild West era. Others peak at lookout points that showcase sweeping panoramas of the Garden of the Gods and the soaring backbone of Pikes Peak far behind. Most paths are accessible and relatively beginner-friendly.

Mount Cutler is a prime hiking option if you want a quick there-and-back taste of the wilds of the Front Range that's not too demanding. The route takes just 2 hours in total. It's also easy to get to from Downtown Colorado Springs, via Cheyenne Boulevard and the North Cheyenne Canyon Road – they'll take you straight to the trailhead in under 15 minutes.

The path is largely shaded for its initial sections, weaving through thick, scented pockets of old pine trees. Later, it levels out and follows the spine of the mountain between crags of ruddy stone. The finale is a viewpoint that takes in the Seven Falls to the west and the sweeping Great Plains of the US to the east – just remember to look both ways.

Bear Creek Canyon is a montage of Rocky Mountain wonders, showcasing everything from wild Douglass-fir and pine woods to abandoned pioneer-era mining complexes. The trailhead hides about a mile down Gold Camp Road west of the town centre – you're looking at about 10 or 15 minutes by car, depending on traffic.

Just shy of 7 miles in total, the loop path rings May's Peak. Its multiple sections are sure to challenge even seasoned walkers, especially those gnarly switchbacks towards the end. The payoff is panoramic views over Red Rock Canyon and Cheyenne Mountain between the trees. Watch out for mountain bikers on this one – it's also a designated MTB route.

Blodgett Peak can hardly be topped when it comes to the panoramas of Colorado Springs. The ascent of the moderately high mountain begins at the entrance to the namesake Blodgett Peak Open Space, some 20 minutes' drive from the centre of the city.

The first section of the walk follows the marked Hummingbird Trail before veering off to begin its clamber up Blodgett proper. That's where it gets a touch demanding, zigzagging up scree ridges and between hefty boulders. The final part involves traversing the saddle of the peak, just before emerging to gain a frontal view of Pikes Peak on one side and the urban sprawl of Colorado Springs on the other.

The path up to St Mary's Falls is a combined hiking and bridle trail that starts just outside Manitou Springs, on the western edge of Colorado Springs. The route begins about a mile along Gold Camp Road. Try to get there early because the parking spaces are shared with 3 or 4 other major hikes.

You can start by tackling one of a handful of different routes. They filter through gallery woods of pine and juniper before combining to form a gravel-covered track that bends uphill with quite a gradient. That's when you know you're nearing the waterfalls themselves, which are but a trickle in summer, a symphony of icicles in winter, and roaring streams in spring.

The trek to the top of Mount Herman is one of the most popular routes for city dwellers out of both Colorado Springs and Denver. That's largely because the trailhead is easy to access from both towns. It sits a short drive down Mount Herman Road out of Monument. There's dedicated parking on the south side of the peak.

Although it's only a touch over 2 miles from start to finish, this path quickly lifts you over 220 metres up to an exposed lookout point that gazes directly east off the very first peaks of the Front Range. That means some fantastic views of the Colorado plains beckon at the top. Mount Herman can be hiked summer and winter, but spikes will probably be needed for the colder months between November and March.

The Stanley Canyon Trail weaves through into the Front Range from the north side of Colorado Springs. It all begins a short drive down Stanley Canyon Road past the Air Force Academy. This is a rather unique path, combining scrambling on boulders with easy-going jaunts through high-up aspen groves.

You gain most of the altitude in the 1st hour of the walk. We're talking 365 metres on very steep terrain, alternating between loose gravel scree and big rocks. After that, it levels a little as you skirt the north wall of Stanley Canyon, a dramatic scythe of dark stone interspersed with caves and grykes. The finale is a cooling break at a highland reservoir.