THE HIKE:

Upper Gold Camp Road is a mellow hike. It’ll never surprise you and it’ll have trouble wearing you out. But it will make you relax. And you’ll kinda forget about everything else.

ROUTES:

Gold Camp Road was built for mining-trains in the 1880’s. About 50 years later it was modified for automobile traffic. But now, thanks to a collapsed tunnel, it’s only open to hikers and bikers.

The road winds all the way to Old Stage. It’s nine miles of inviting 3% grade. Silver Cascades Falls is off to your left at mile 1.5, and the trail to Saint Mary’s Falls is on your right at mile 2. Hop onto a side trail, hike the whole road, or turn around whenever you want.

Sometimes I stop at a little cabin- a quaint place covered with the fingerprints of family. If you make this your turnaround point, you’re looking at a 5 mile roundtrip.

Running is not a bad option for the way down. It’s an easy jog and you’ll be down in 1/3 the time. But whether you walk or run, make sure to enjoy.

GOOD TO KNOW:

--This trail is far from hard, but that makes it a great place to talk and hike. So bring a friend.

-If you go in the evening, be sure to take Lower Gold Camp Road down. It might have the best view of city lights in Colorado Springs.

-Three quarters of a mile up, Cheyenne Creek goes under the road in a culvert. When the water isn’t too high or too low, it makes for a great water slide.