Colorado Springs Hiking Tips

We came up with this list of Colorado Springs Hiking Tips after suffering through a few minor mishaps out on the trails. Our motto: we took the hits so you don’t have to. :)

For the most part, the trails are very safe, well-marked, and well-maintained all around Colorado Springs.

Hiking in general is a pretty straight-forward activity—just get on the trail and go! But in Colorado there are a few things you should always keep in mind…

• Altitude
• Hydration
• Sudden weather changes
• Lightning
• Intense Sun
• Gear
• Maps

ALTITUDE

The city sits at 6035 feet above sea level, which is likely much higher than where most vacationers live.

Colorado Springs hiking trails often reach even higher altitudes, anywhere from 7000-8000 feet in the foothills, all the way to 14,000 feet if you attempt the Barr Trail monster up to Pikes Peak.

The lack of oxygen in higher altitudes will make you tired. Normal effort may feel strenuous. You may even get altitude sickness if you push it too fast too soon. That will ruin your day, or several of them.

So take your time! Allow yourself time to acclimate. Consider waiting a day or even two for your body to get used to the altitude, and then hit a trail.

But if you’re dead set on getting on those trails right off the plane, try one of the easier Colorado Springs hiking trails. If you feel strong and ready for more after that, go for more challenging terrain.

HYDRATION

The climate is usually dry and arid here in Colorado Springs. Hiking with a water bottle or source of hydration is always a good idea. Your body will need more water than you realize. Lack of humidity, altitude, and intense sun are all factors here.

Fancy hydration systems aren’t necessary—a supply of bottled water is fine—but we like to use these...

• Bottled Water: the old standby
• Nalgene bottles: hold 16-32 oz, stain-free odor-free container
• Camelbak hyrdration pack: holds 70-100 oz, wear it like a backpack, hands free!

SUDDEN WEATHER CHANGES

There’s a saying here in Colorado: if you don’t like the weather, wait 5 minutes--it will change.

Very true! We recently hiked Waldo Canyon and inside two hours the weather changed from 45F/cloudy to 32F/snowing to 60F/sunny. All in two hours! The mountains are notoriously fickle when it comes to weather.

The good news is that while weather changes are often sudden, they are fairly predictable overall. Especially in the summer. You can expect clear skies in the morning followed by storms in the afternoon, usually between 2-4pm. It’s kind of like the rainforest that way.

You’ll get cooler temps in the morning, better sunlight for mountain photos, and you won’t end up getting drenched by a sudden afternoon rain shower.

Most importantly, you’ll avoid the worst danger out there… not black bears… not mountain lions… not even rattlesnakes…

LIGHTNING

Colorado is in the “top ten” states for lightning casualties. I say this to scare you. Don’t mess with Mother Nature. All that kind of thing. Because I don’t want you getting hurt (or worse) on your vacation.

The sudden storms will bring lightning, and mountain storms seem to breed an especially wicked kind of lightning. You don’t want to be up on a trail in high altitudes, near trees, or in open spaces when it cracks down.

More than once we’ve found ourselves racing down a trail because an afternoon storm caught us off guard. But we’ve finally learned our lesson. Please don’t tempt fate. Respect Mother Nature. She is the boss, especially in the mountains.

SUN

Sunshine is abundant in the Springs. Over 300 sunny days per year in fact. So a quick hint about high altitude sunshine. The UV index is much higher--the sun’s rays are much more intense. So wear your sunscreen no matter the season. And get yourself a nice pair of sunglasses. You’ll be smiling if you do.

GEAR

When it comes to hiking gear, you don’t have to get too complicated. We do recommend that you wear a decent pair of hiking boots or trail running shoes though. A good sole with gripping power will help you as the terrain is all over the place no matter which trail you’re on: dirt, loose gravel, rocks, mud, sand, snow.

If you’re here in the winter, we love the “Yak Trax Pro” shoe straps for traction on the ice.

And it’s always good to have layering options due to the sudden weather changes.

• Summer: raincoat with a hood.
• Spring or Fall: a polyester fleece for warmth, and a waterproof/windproof exterior shell.
• Winter: polyester base layer, polyester fleece for warmth, waterproof/windproof exterior shell, hat, gloves.

We know a guide here who gives this advice about layering: “Cotton kills.”

Sort of a funny expression, but it’s true. Cotton doesn’t wick away moisture, it literally sucks the heat from your body. So if you want to stay warm and dry, choose only polyester or polyester blends for layers. Not cotton.

I think the host of “Man vs. Wild,” Bear Grylls, said once that it’s actually better to be naked than to be covered in wet cotton clothes. So there you go. Bear says so too.

Your best bet is to carry a small backpack with layering options inside. Then when you’re 90 minutes into your hike on a loop trail, you won’t be regretting your decision to leave that fleece layer in the car. (We've made this mistake!) But you’ll be ready, and you'll have a great hike!

MAPS

Most of the Colorado Springs hiking trails have a map posted at the trail head. But sometimes you get out there and get caught up in the views or a great conversation, and you forget which way you were supposed to turn. So it’s nice to have a map with you.

We’re working on creating some special print-and-carry maps for our favorite trails here in the Springs. Check back soon for those!