Ring the Peak Trail Trail System

PORTALS:

Below you will find driving instructions to the 10 portals to the Ring the Peak Trail. All instructions begin at the intersection of I-25 and US 24 (Cimarron St.). If you are traveling on I-25 the exit is 141.

To view a trail map click the brown button at the right if you are traveling in a clockwise direction around the peak, or the green button if traveling in a counter-clockwise direction.

Manitou:
Drive west on US 24 (W. Cimarron St.) to the Manitou Ave. Exit (approx. 4 miles). Drive west on Manitou Ave. through downtown Manitou Springs to the intersection of Ruxton Ave. (approx. 1.4 miles). Turn left on Ruxton Ave. You will come to the clockwise trailhead first just beyond the Iron Spring mineral springs (under a gazebo) on your left. The trailhead is marked as the "Paul Intemann Memorial Nature Trail".

The counter-clockwise trailhead is on your right just behind the Iron Springs Chateau. You must walk up the exit drive from the Cog Railway Depot parking lot. Watch on you right, it is marked as the Ute Indian Trail. Parking is on the street and very limited. Only customers of the Cog Railway are allowed to park in their lot. The nearest public restroom is at the Barr Trailhead at the end of Hydro St..

Chipita Park:
Drive west on US 24 to the turn off for the Pikes Peak Highway. (approx. 9.3 miles). Turn left at the traffic light and follow the signs for Pikes Peak and Santa Claus Land. At 0.4 miles from the traffic light you will come to a fork in the road, follow the right hand fork, you will be on Chipita Park Rd. At 1.75 miles turn left on to Picabo Rd. Make a sharp left turn where Picabo joins Mountain Rd. The trailhead for Mount Esther is marked on the right side of the road a few hundred feet from the turn. Parking along side the road is very limited. More parking is available on Chipita Park Rd.

Alternatively, you may drive up the Pikes Peak Highway to the Crow Gulch Picknic Area and join the trail there.

Catamount Reservoir:
Drive west on US 24 to the turn off for the Pikes Peak Toll Rd. (approx. 9.3 miles). Turn left at the traffic light and follow the signs for Pikes Peak and Santa Claus Land. At 0.4 miles from the traffic light you will come to a fork in the road, follow the left fork to the toll gate. Tell the attendant you are going to the North Slope Recreation Area, (the toll is less). About 5.8 miles past the toll gate you will turn right and continue across the South Catamount Reservoir dam. There is parking and restrooms at the south end of the North Catamount Reservoir dam. The trail to Catamount Ranch begins by crossing the dam. The trail to Chipita Park is the road you just drove in on.

The North Slope Recreation Area is closed in the Winter and on the day of the Pikes Peak Hill Climb (See dates and hours).

Catamount Ranch:
Drive west on US 24 through the town of Woodland Park and up a steep hill. After a gradual curve to the west watch for Edlowe Rd. (appox. 21 miles). Turn south on Edlowe Road and follow it to the well marked trailhead (approx. miles).

From the Elder-Fehn and Vayhinger trails at Catamount Ranch there are 3 portals to the North Slope Recreation Area and the Ring the Peak Trail. If you are traveling clockwise the first portal is the most direct. As soon as you pass through the gate turn left and you will be on the RTP trail. If you are traveling counter-clockwise either the first or the second are equally direct. Turn right when you pass through the first gate. The second gate is further down the Elder-Fehn trail and once through this gate you have another 3/10 of a mile to reach the RTP trail.

If you wish to see more of the Catamount Ranch follow the Elder-Fehn trail to the Vayhinger turn-off. Following the Vayhinger trail will bring you to another gate and through it is the RTP trail. This is a longer route but a very pleasant extension.

Raspberry:
Drive west on US 24 to the town of Divide (approx. 25 miles). Turn south on Colorado Highway 67 and continue to the turn off for the Crags Campground (approx. 29.5 miles). Follow the Crags Campground road to the Menonite Camp where you should turn right. Continue to an open area on your left (approx. 32.2 miles). There is parking off the Crags Road on your left. If you get to the campground, you have gone too far. During winter the road may not be passable past 31.5 miles, in which case there should be a parking area plowed out just past the Menonite Camp.

The trail to Catamount Ranch is across the open area near the stream, you should find a log bridge crossing the stream. The trail to the Horsethief Park Portal follows the road you drove in on, in the direction of the campground. The closest restrooms are at the Crags Campground.

Horsethief Park:
Drive west on US 24 to the town of Divide (approx. 25 miles). Turn south on Colorado Highway 67 and continue to the point where the highway passes through a deep cut. This cut by-passes an historic railroad tunnel. At the far end of the cut is the parking for the Horsethief Park trailhead on the left (approx. 34.3 miles). You must hike about 0.6 miles up the Horsethief trail to reach the Ring the Peak trail.

Gillett:
The Ring the Peak Trail does not yet connect to this trailhead.

Forest Service Road 376:
Drive west on US 24 to the town of Divide (approx. 25 miles). Turn south on Colorado Highway 67 and follow it to a point where the highway curves to the west (approx. 38.5 miles). Continue straight on County Highway 64 to the turn off on the left for the Gold Camp Road (approx. 41.8 miles). Turn left on Gold Camp Road and follow it to the Forest Service Road 376 (approx. 48.8 miles). Turn left on FS 376 and continue until you see a jeep trail on the left (approx. 52 miles). You should be able to park off FS 376 to the left. If you come to a gate across the road, you have gone too far.

Alternatively: you may follow the directions to Frosty Park to the turn off for FS 379, continuing on the Gold Camp Road to FS 376 turnoff. This route is a little shorter, but requires considerably more travel on gravel road. Travel times will be approximately the same.

The trail to Gillett is not complete. The trail to Frosty Park is an ATV trail on the other side of FS 376 about 300 feet back from where you park.

Frosty Park:
Drive west on US 24 to 21st Street (approx. 1.5 miles). Turn left on 21st and continue south until you dead end into Mesa Ave. (approx. 4.8 miles). Turn right on Mesa, at the traffic circle take the second exit, El Pomar Rd.. Follow El Pomar Rd. until you come to Penrose Blvd.. Turn left on Penrose and continue to the intersection of Cheyenne Mountain Blvd. and Old Stage Road (approx. 6.1 miles). Turn right on Old Stage Road. At 6.8 miles the Old Stage Road turns to gravel. It is passable with a passenger car, however, it is very windy with several blind curves. Continue on Old Stage Road (the main traveled way) until you come to Forest Service Road 379 (approx. 18.5 miles) The Frosty Park trailhead is 1.6 miles north on Forest Service 379, however, you will need a high clearance vehicle to negotiate this road. There is adequate parking at the intersection of Forest Service 379 and Gold Camp Road. (Old Stage Road became Gold Camp Road a while back.)

Bear Creek:
Drive west on US 24 to 21st Street. (approx. 1.5 miles). Turn left on 21st and continue south until you come to Cheyenne Blvd. (approx. 4.5 miles). Turn right on Cheyenne Blvd. and continue to mile 5.5 where the road forks. Take the right fork. You will be on North Cheyenne Canyon Road. Continue past Helen Hunt Falls until you come to a gravel parking area (approx. 8.6 miles). Just where the pavement ends there will be two gravel roads in front of you, take the left one, called High Drive. Continue on High Drive until you come to the trailhead (approx. 11.3 miles). This trailhead is hard to see so watch closely for the Ring the Peak Sign. There is parking beside the road. High Drive is closed in the winter. You can either hike the High Drive or use the alternate access below.

Alternatively: drive west on US 24 (W. Cimarron St.) to 26th Street (approx. 2 miles). Turn left on 26th and continue until you come to the second intersection with Gold Camp Road (approx. 4.6 miles). At the first intersection the name of 26th Street changes to Bear Creek Road. At the second intersection the pavement ends and the road becomes one way against your direction of travel. You may cross Gold Camp Road to a small parking area on your left. If it is full there is more parking at the Inteman trailhead north on Gold Camp Road. The trailhead is 0.75 miles up the High Drive.