Boulder: Saddle Rock Trail

So, we actually didn't reach Saddle Rock because one of our hikers was having back pain, but I want to do it next summer! We parked at the Crown Rock Area, which is right off Flagstaff Road. We hiked down into Gregory Canyon, which is a very steep and pretty treacherous trail due to loose gravel. There are lots of college kids bouldering in this area- it's a nice place to come and rock hop if you don't want to hike. There is also the "bonsai tree" that is growing out of a rock- very cool, and a nice place to chill out and take pictures.

We took the trail all the way down into Gregory Canyon, which as already noted is a very steep and rocky descent. The canyon has a stream running through it, and as I just discovered, has its own trailhead nearby. We began the ascent to Saddle Rock but turned around about 15 minutes later. The climb back to the car was pretty sketchy in places, and there are a couple places where the trail forks off with no signage. I wouldn't recommend taking this trail if you don't know the area well. The hike from the Crown Rock parking area down into Gregory Canyon and back up takes about an hour round trip.

After studying the above map, I think that next time I'll park at the Gregory Canyon trailhead and do the Saddle Mountain loop. Just a warning that all of the areas in the Flagstaff area charge $5 per car for parking.

Directions from Boulder: take Baseline Road, pass Chautauqua Park on the right and turn left into the Gregory Canyon parking area a few minutes down the road. The area is well marked and visible from the road.

New Trail Ideas for 2012

HAPPY TRAILS THE PUNCH BOWLS

by DAVE PHILIPPS, THE GAZETTE

WHERE: A series of pools hidden in Queens Canyon above Glen Eyrie.

TO GET THERE: From Interstate 25 take the Garden of the Gods exit and head west for two miles to 30th Street. Turn left and drive a half-mile to the Navigators entrance on the right. Turn in, then immediately veer left to head into Glen Eyrie. Stop to register at the gate, then drive a bit further and park in a gravel lot at the head of the canyon.

TRIP LOG:

Two boots, two miles round-trip, 400 feet elevation gain.

THE HIKE:

Few people in Colorado Springs know about the punch bowls, even though they rank as one of the most refreshing summer hikes in the region.

The five polished granite pools engraved in Queens Canyon by Camp Creek are perfect for a dip, or just a nice picnic spot. They've been kept under wraps because this spot in the Pike National Forest is easily accessible only from Glen Eyrie, which is owned by the Navigators, a Christian missionary organization.

Anyone casually wandering into Glen Eyrie is usually scared away by a guard house-like gate. But don't be. The Navigators welcome hikers.

Locals should be thankful. This hike rocks.

The trail starts just past Colorado Springs founder William Jackson Palmer's Glen Eyrie castle and winds up Camp Creek. Soon the walls of Queens Canyon close around it.

After a few minutes, hikers will encounter a long wooden catwalk that hugs the gorge walls. Follow it up to a small dam. The trail continues along the creek for a half-mile and seems to end at an ambitious little spout of water called Dawson Falls.

Hikers who want to continue to the punch bowls should look for a trail lunging up to the right. It stays steep for about a tenth of a mile, then levels out again and follows the stream a short distance to the pools.

The first bowl is the biggest. And the depth is perfect for a vigorous plunge.

Up above, the other bowls get progressively smaller, but they still make a great natural playground for cooling off during a hot, summer hike.

Return the way you came.

DETAILS: Hiking from Glen Eyrie is free and open to the public, but hikers must register at the front gate. Don't forget a swimsuit.

INFORMATION: Glen Eyrie, 634-0808.

RATING SYSTEM: A scale of one to four boots. One is easiest, with little elevation gain, and it is at a reasonable altitude. Four is most difficult, with severe elevation gain, difficult terrain or extreme length or elevation.

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Lyons - Indian Pools for swimming this summer
Eldorado Springs- hiking and swimming

Golden - Mt. Galbraith Park

Mt. Galbraith Park is an awesome hiking spot just outside of Golden city limits. I would recommend going when you want to get your heart pumping and see some nice views, rather than exhausting yourself with a super steep and intense climb. The area is moderately open and exposed to the sun, so it is perfect for a colder day when you want to get some rays. All trails are for hikers only, so you don't have to worry about being run over by mountain bikers- hooray!

I parked at the main trailhead off of Golden Gate Canyon Road, which has a nice sized parking lot and a bathroom. I hiked up the Cedar Gulch trail, stopping at a couple nice overlooks of Golden and Boulder along the way. It is a pretty popular hike, but it's not overwhelmingly crowded (i.e. Chautauqua). I would like to continue on the Mount Galabrath loop next time I'm in the area- this area seems a little steeper, but you get better views of the mountains to the west. The Cedar Gulch trail is 3 miles round trip and took about 2 hours with a few breaks. 

Directions: Take US 58 to Golden, take a right on US 93, go a few miles down the road, and take a left on Golden Gate Canyon Road. Follow the road about 2 miles until you see the parking lot on the left. The park is well marked.