BHN_COSprings-51

Start: Reservoir Trailhead on Old Carriage Road in Palmer Lake

Distance: 3.8-mile lollipop

Hiking time: About 4 hours

Difficulty: Moderate

Elevation gain: 1,950 feet overall

Trail surface: Doubletrack dirt road and singletrack dirt and rock trail

Seasons: Year-round. The trail is usually snowy and icy in winter. Bring spikes and trekking poles for additional traction.

Schedule: Open daily

Other trail users: None

Canine compatibility: Leashed dogs allowed on the trail to the reservoirs and at both reservoirs. Dogs are not allowed in the water. Dogs are allowed without leashes on the Pike National Forest land northwest of the reservoirs.

Land status: Public and private land in Pike National Forest and town of Palmer Lake watershed

Fees and permits: None

Map: USGS Palmer Lake.

Trail contacts: Pike National Forest, Pikes Peak Ranger District, 601 S. Weber St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903; (719) 636-1602; www.fs.usda.gov/psicc. Town of Palmer Lake, PO Box 208, 42 Valley Crescent, Palmer Lake, CO 80133; (719) 481-2953; www.ci.palmer-lake.co.us.

Other: The lower canyon and reservoirs are part of the Palmer Lake watershed. The area is for pedestrian use only. Rules include: All dogs must be leashed (strictly enforced); no firearms, horses, motor vehicles, camping, swimming, or pets in the water.

Finding the trailhead: From Colorado Springs drive north on I-25 to Monument and take exit 161. Drive west on CO 105 for 3.5 miles to Palmer Lake. Turn left (west) on South Valley Road in Palmer Lake and drive west for 0.35 mile. Turn left (south) on Old Carriage Road and drive 0.2 mile to a large roadside parking area and the trailhead in the valley below (GPS: 39.118687, -104.921121).

The Hike

This 3.8-mile-long hike follows three trails—Palmer Reservoir, Swank, and Ice Cave Creek Trails—and makes a lollipop route west of the Town of Palmer Lake along North Monument Creek and Ice Cave Creek. Half of the hike follows a closed road that allows utility access to two reservoirs for the Town of Palmer Lake, while the other half threads through Ice Cave Creek’s narrow, boulder-filled canyon before climbing over a wooded ridge.

Most of the hike is moderate and includes walking on the reservoir access road, hiking on rough terrain along the creek, and following an old jeep road. Grades are generally moderate with few steep uphill sections. The first half of the hike gains elevation, while the second half loses that elevation.

Option: For extra credit, do the Cap Rock loop hike (see below) by wandering farther up Ice Cave Creek before scrambling through a boulder field and up granite slabs to the airy summit of Cap Rock, a local landmark. This short loop is the most difficult route in this book.

The Palmer Reservoirs Loop hike begins at a trailhead signed “Reservoir Trailhead,” on the west side of a switchback on Old Carriage Road, on the north side of North Monument Creek, and at the entrance to a steep-walled canyon. Plenty of parking is available at the trailhead and along the south side of the road just east of the trailhead. A sign at the trailhead details the area rules—all dogs must be leashed, no pets in the water, and no swimming, firearms, or horses.

The first hike segment goes 0.8 mile up Palmer Reservoir Trail from the trailhead to its junction with Ice Cave Creek Trail at the first reservoir.

Hike west on the trail up the narrowing canyon and, after a quarter mile, climb steeply up a short slope to a closed utility road. Follow the road up the bottom of the canyon, passing through a large gate, which is usually open. The hike climbs steadily up the road and reaches the dam at Lower Palmer Reservoir at 0.6 mile. A concrete dam, split by a spillway, forms a picturesque lake tucked into the narrow canyon and surrounded by a pine and fir forest. Enjoy the scenic view of the lake from the road, but remember that people and dogs are not allowed in the reservoir and fishing is prohibited.

Continue up the road along the north edge of the lake and in another 0.1 mile cross over Ice Cave Creek, which tumbles through a mass of fallen boulders in its lower canyon before emptying into a wetland at the west end of the reservoir. Just past the creek, follow the road up around a corner and look right at 0.8 mile for the start of the Ice Cave Creek Trail. The next trail segment follows Ice Cave Creek northwest for 0.6 mile to its junction with Swank Trail.

The next trail section follows Ice Cave Creek Road for 0.6 mile from the road to Swank Trail. The narrow singletrack trail, rebuilt by the Colorado Mountain Club in 2013, traverses across slopes covered with fir and spruce above the creek’s rocky canyon. Numerous boulders of all sizes have fallen into the creek, creating watery caves and grottos beneath the granite blocks. The caves, receiving little direct sunlight, often hold ice flows in their dark depths through late May. This trail section is snowy and icy in winter so come prepared with spikes for your shoes for traction.

After you hike 0.4 mile from the road, the trail splashes across the creek and follows the open north bank west. Dense willows and grass clot the creek’s banks and a couple openings in the forest cover give views northwest to Cap Rock, a pointed rock formation that towers above the canyon. After another 0.2 mile the trail bends away from the creek and reaches a junction with Swank Trail, an abandoned old road. Go left at this junction, 1.5 miles from the start of the hike.

Swank Trail heads across a hillside and descends down to an open grassy meadow along Ice Cave Creek and a trail junction on the north side of the meadow. Swank Trail goes south here across the creek. The Cap Rock Trail continues west up the canyon. A tall ponderosa pine stands sentinel on the west side of the meadow, and a squat granite boulder sits next to the creek.

While the standard hike continues on Swank Trail, this is where you decide if you want to climb Cap Rock. (See below.)

From the junction of the Cap Rock and Swank Trails, go south on Swank. Step across the creek and follow the old rutted Jeep road up a shallow valley blanketed in a spruce and fir forest. The trail slowly climbs and after a half mile reaches the top of a ridge and a junction with the Winding Stairs Trail, which follows the ridge west for almost 3 miles to Winding Stairs Road and the top of the Rampart Range.

Descend down the southwest side of the ridge on Swank Trail. The old road drops steeply down the mountainside before leveling out in a valley filled with grass and willows. At 0.35 mile from the ridgetop, the Swank Trail ends when it reaches Reservoir Trail and Inlet Trail on the north shore of the Upper Palmer Reservoir.

The last hiking segment runs 1.4 miles from the inlet on the reservoir back to the trailhead. Follow the Palmer Reservoir Trail, a closed utility road, east along the north shore of the upper lake. The trail climbs up from the shoreline and runs across the hillside above a curved concrete dam. Continue hiking past the lake and downhill, passing the junction with Ice Cave Creek Trail at 3 miles and the first dam at 3.2 miles. The road drops quickly down the lower canyon, passes through the gate, and reaches the first junction. Go right and descend a short singletrack trail to the bottom of the canyon. Follow the wide trail through piney woods back to the trailhead and parking lot.

0.0	Start from the trailhead on Old Carriage Road in Palmer Lake (GPS: 39.118669, -104.921208). Hike west on Palmer Reservoir Trail, a closed road, up North Monument Creek’s canyon.
0.3	Climb a short singletrack trail and reach a utility road (GPS: 39.118686, -104.925534). Hike up the road (Palmer Reservoir Trail), pass through a gate, and continue up the steep road.
0.6	Reach the dam at Lower Palmer Reservoir (GPS: 39.117136, -104.931337). Hike west on the road along the north side of the lake.
0.7	Reach the west end of the lake and cross over Ice Cave Creek.
0.8	Reach Ice Cave Creek Trail on the right (GPS: 39.115932, -104.933794) at 7,600 feet. Go right on the singletrack trail on steep slopes above the creek.
1.2	Dip down and cross Ice Cave Creek.
1.4	Cross Swank Creek. After a couple hundred feet, you come to a junction with Swank Trail (GPS: 39.12228, -104.94193). Go left across a hillside and then west to an open meadow.
1.5	Reach the junction of Swank Trail and Ice Cave Creek Trail on the edge of a meadow (GPS: 39.12195, -104.94372). Go left on Swank Trail and cross Ice Cave Creek. Continue south uphill on the rutted old road.
2.0	Junction with Winding Stairs Trail on top of a ridge (GPS: 39.11780, -104.94193).
2.4	Junction with Palmer Reservoir Trail and Inlet Trail on the north side of the upper reservoir (GPS: 39.11393, -104.94322). Continue south and then east on the wide Palmer Reservoir Trail above the north side of the lake.
3.0	Junction with Ice Cave Creek Trail. Continue straight on the road.
3.2	Reach the first dam.
3.6	Leave the road and descend down to the trail in the bottom of the valley.
3.8	Reach the trailhead and parking area.

Cap Rock Trail Option

The Cap Rock Trail is a rough backcountry hiking adventure and the most difficult hike in this book. Hikers should be skilled at route finding, able to execute easy rock-climbing moves, and willing to make judgment calls for the group’s safety. It adds 1.5 miles, 450 feet of elevation gain, and as much as 3 hours to the Palmer Reservoir Trails.

The trail is hard to follow at times since it winds among boulders along the creek before scrambling up a steep hill to a boulder field below Cap Rock’s east face. A good sense of direction and strong route-finding skills are essential. Bring a map and compass or use a GPS unit and plug the “Miles and Directions” coordinates in it to stay on route. The return hike from the summit descends the west side of Cap Rock before returning down a crude path along the creek.

Start the Cap Rock Trail at the meadow where Swank Trail crosses Ice Cave Creek. Locate the Ice Cave Creek Trail, which goes west from the meadow and Swank Trail past a tall ponderosa pine. The trail winds among boulders on the hillside north of the creek and after 0.3 mile reaches a large blocky boulder on the right above the trail.

Scramble past the big boulder and then up the hillside, keeping left of the boulder field. Aim for a couple tall pines left of a huge pointed boulder below the southeast corner of Cap Rock, which looms above. Scramble and climb across boulders below the pointed block; use caution if there is snow on the rock surfaces. A couple places require careful foot placements and perhaps even a fixed rope to use as a hand line on tricky sections. Careful route finding is required to find the easiest route through the boulders. Do not get lured into traversing the boulder field below you—instead stay high.

Past the largest boulders, continue scrambling up right. Squeeze between boulders, edge up short slabs, and grab tree branches to pull past slippery gravel sections. Eventually the terrain becomes easier and you reach the base of a long granite slab that gently ascends south above the steep east face of Cap Rock. Scramble up the slab. The easiest line is up the middle between the granite on the left and trees on the right. Higher, step left onto the main slab and climb up its low-angle face to a high ledge below the final summit cap. This is a good spot to leave your pack and have a drink of water and snack. Look around too for a cache box.

The final pitch to Cap Rock’s airy summit is up a 60-foot crack and groove on the north side. A couple easy climbing moves lead to a gentle slab to the summit. Stand on top and give a yodel—you earned that peak. After enjoying the view across Ice Cave Creek Valley and North Monument Creek Valley to Mount Herman, descend back down to your pack. It’s easiest to descend by facing out and climbing down like a spider.

While you can reverse your ascent path to descend back to the creek, it’s best to descend down the west side of Cap Rock and do a loop hike. From the shoulder below the summit, scramble down an angled slab to the west above Cap Rock’s west face. Pick the line of least resistance to descend. If possible, it’s easiest to stay on the rock surface of the wide ramp rather than in the forest to the right. Straight ahead towers the sharp pinnacle of Chisel Point.

At the bottom of the ramp, go left around a big rounded boulder and then squeeze between two boulders. Look to your left below here and locate a gully that descends south. Go down the gully, then edge down a slab to the left. Below is a short drop-off into another rock gully, which leads to more boulders. Thread your way through the boulders, which may require some backtracking to avoid getting cliffed off, until you reach gentle slopes below. Hike through open forest past a 45-foot-high boulder split by a wide crack and, after a mile of hiking from Swank Trail, reach the rough Ice Cave Creek Trail.

Go left (east) on the singletrack path and cross the creek through a dense stand of willows. Follow the trail east along the south bank of the creek, stepping over deadfall and loose rocks. The trail eventually peters out in a massive area of deadfall and giant boulders. Find a good way to cross the creek and scramble up steep slopes on the north side to find the trail again. Continue east and after 0.2 mile from the first creek crossing, you reach the large boulder where you began the ascent.

Follow the trail east from here for 0.3 mile back to the junction with Swank Trail in the meadow. Using the directions above, follow the Swank Trail to the Palmer Reservoir Trail and then back to the trailhead.

Option: Cap Rock Miles and Directions

0.0	At mile 1.5 under “Miles and Directions” above, leave Swank Trail at the meadow (GPS: 39.12195, -104.94372) and hike west on Ice Cave Creek Trail along the north bank of the creek.
0.3	Reach a large boulder above the trail and start uphill toward Cap Rock’s southeast corner (GPS: 39.12202, -104.94895).
0.4	Scramble up a rough trail to the south side of a boulder field below Cap Rock’s east face. Continue through the boulders, climbing over some and squirming past others. After a few hundred feet, reach the base of the east face after scrambling and climbing over boulders. Continue hiking north along the base of the face.
0.5	When possible, climb up left on steep wooded slopes to a granite ramp that slants up south. After about another 300 feet, you will reach the base of the rock ramp (GPS: 39.12463, -104.95067) and either climb steep wooded slopes to the right or scramble directly up the clean granite slab.
0.6	Reach the base of Cap Rock’s knobby summit. Climb a crack and groove for 65 feet to the small summit of Cap Rock (GPS: 39.123454, -104.950675). Return to the base and head west down a sloping granite ramp at the top of the west face.
0.8	Reach the bottom of the ramp on the west side and scramble past some big boulders. Look for a groove to go down to the left. Follow the easiest way down brushy gullies below the west face of Cap Rock to the valley floor (GPS: 39.12278, -104.95238). Route finding is difficult here.
1.0	Reach Ice Cave Creek and a rough trail below the west face of Cap Rock. Cross the creek and follow the trail east along the south bank of the creek. After about 300 feet, cross the creek wherever it is possible and scramble up through rocks to the large boulder and return path to Swank Trail on the north bank.
1.2	Rejoin the return trail below the boulder (GPS: 39.12202, -104.94895) and follow it back to Swank Trail.
1.5	Reach Swank Trail at a meadow at a large tree (GPS: 39.12195, -104.94372). Go right on Swank Trail and follow the above directions back to the trailhead. At this point you will have hiked 3 total miles. (Option: For a 4.5-mile out-and-back hike, retrace your steps across Ice Cave Creek Trail back to the trailhead.)