THE HIKE:

Waldo Canyon is like a show-and-tell for Colorado Springs. You get great views of the city, the Peak, and the Front Range. You see cliffs made of Manitou Limestone and boulders made of Pikes Peak Granite. You step over cactus with your left foot and around wild flowers with your right.

ROUTES:

Take Highway 24 past Manitou a few miles. The parking lot for Waldo Canyon is off the road on your right.

In the first couple hundred yards, there are a few switchbacks. It’s the steepest part of the whole hike.

Soon the trail mellows out. It gradually climbs across a South-facing slope, making its way to the canyon. Cactus line the trail and little lizards dart across it.

After a mile and a half, you’ll reach the start of the loop. Both left and right take you back to where you’re standing. I prefer going left, clockwise, so I can face the views on the way down.

GOOD TO KNOW:

-The Waldo Canyon loop is quick, but it’s no walk. Eat well before, pay attention, and don’t litter. Please.

-You’ll have cell service for the majority of the hike—just in case.

-When you’re on the southwest side of the loop, look for the little signs. Each one boasts a different environmental fact. They’re informative and serious. And if you read them in your best Discovery Channel voice, they’re guaranteed to make you laugh.