Red Rocks Canyon - Colorado Springs, CO

Red Rocks Canyon was created from a mosaic of features that don't typically scream "State Park destination!" It is a park built around the remnants of a rock quarry, landfill, illicit climbing walls and abandoned ranch sites that has somehow managed to evolve into one of the most scenic parks in the state. The Canyon is a Garden of the Gods in minature version; a rougher, less traveled park without all of the over trafficked, McDonald's fueled tourists that clog the Garden during the warm summer months.

Red Rocks is a great trail running destination; with all of the pine forests, sandstone formations and open meadows that the Garden has, without the paved roads and paths that created throngs of tourists. The formations here are not as dramatic, but they create multiple canyons that are easy to explore via the trails, and provide for some suprisingly dramatic scenery.

Generally the terrain from the parking lot slopes uphill, making runs here more climbing oriented. Due to the mishmash of ways in which the park was used before its birth, there are some oddities that occasionally pop up during runs. For instance, the graffiti filled cave off of the Red Rock Rim Trail that was a big party spot for local high school kids, the remnants of the old quarry where the rock has been removed in large blocks and the large methane vents dotting the meadow where the Hogback Valley Trail runs; vestiges of the landfill that decays slowly underneath the meadow.

One of the best features of this park is its access to the Intemann Trail and the Section 16 area, allowing you to expand your runs beyond the park and into the higher foothills of the Springs area. Currently a hot spot for runners, climbers and mountain bikers, Red Rocks is a great place to put in some miles, check out the views and enjoy the benefits of good urban planning, without RVs barreling towards you.

Trail map here (PDF version)

Distance: trail lengths vary. The longest, the Lion Trail, is 1.0 miles. Trails can easily be linked to create longer runs, and the park connects with Section 16 and the Intemann Trail; allowing for longer pieces.

Directions: From downtown Colorado Springs (W. Colorado Avenue at S. Cascade Avenue), take S. Cascade south to Cimmaron/Highway 24 and take a right, heading west. Take a left on Ridge Road and then a left on West High Street. The parking lot is on the right. From downtown Manitou Springs (Ruxton Ave and Manitou Avenue), take Manitou Ave. east towards Colorado Springs. Take the Highway 24 onramp towards the east (entrance is after the Sinclair gas station). Take a right on Ridge Road and a left on W. High Street toward the parking lot.


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Trinity Brewery - Colorado Springs, CO

The Trinity Brewing Company stands out simply because it does not belong in Colorado Springs. A brewery that is built around environmental consciousness, artisan beer, progressive ideas, indy rock shows, the largest micro-brew tap in the city and food that skews toward vegetarian is decidedly the weird kid on the playground, existing in a town that is known more for mega-churches and unhinged religious leaders than for beer called "Chi." As it's tagline sums up well, Trinity is the home of "artisanal beer, slow food, conscious people." Trinity is James Dobson's dining nightmare come to fruition; "the long hairs are everywhere!! It's the Apocalypse!"

Oddly located in a new strip mall development, within convenient biking/running distance of Garden of the Gods Park, Trinity has carved a thriving little niche in the Colorado Springs bar scene by creating a selection of great beers, in a very unique setting, and hosting a great selection of microbrews from throughout Colorado and the West Coast. The bar draws a decidedly left leaning crowd who have an affinity for good beer and the granola-centric setting. Long and narrow, the brewery has a number of tables for dining, along with an open area at the back that hosts large, comfy couches and provides space for the live music. Additionally, there is a patio out front that gets plenty of sun during the warmer months.

Trinity houses the best beer tap in the Colorado Springs/Manitou Springs area, rivaling some of the bigger bars in Denver. You won't find Pabst or Bud Light anywhere near this place, but you will find some favorites like Dogfish Head, Flying Dog, New Belgium and Stone Brewing, along with Trinity's selection of house made beers. The bar prides itself on presentation; with each beer coming in its own "custom" glass and served by one of the numerous, attractive, bartenders. The set up is conducive to serving large crowds, and the service while sitting at the bar is excellent. The actual bar is one of the most unique features of the brewery; running almost half the length of the brewery, the bar is made of beer bottles that have been broken down and lacquered, creating a semi-opaque, mulit-colored platform that fits nicely with Trinity's progressive, eco-friendly image.

While Trinity excels at its beer and bar service the food has managed to suffer from misstep after misstep, making it one of the biggest restaurant misfires in town. The menu Revolving around vegetarian friendly fare (ie; Vegetarian Buffalo Wings), soups and sandwiches (no burgers in sight), the food at Trinity suffers from a poorly planned menu, schizophrenic execution (on one visit, the cheese plate looked like a piece of art, and on the next like someone threw the bread and cheese on the plate while dancing a jig, while wasted on PCP) and incredibly slow service. This is a place that makes you get your own silverware, bus your own table and get your own water; You would think they could manage to at least be on top of the food. No luck. On top of the poor food execution, the wait service is horrendous. Waiters disappear for long periods of time, you're never sure which one is yours and it takes active participation to make sure everything you order comes out right, if at all; "excuse me ma'am, I'm pretty sure I ordered that sandwhich that's been sitting under the heat lamp for about thirty minutes now. Thanks." Overall, a consistently horrendous dining experience (apart from that one cheese plate, that one time).

We have some friends that have worked at Trinity, and from what we hear, many of the kitchen and waitstaff issues can be chalked up to one of the owner's over confidence in his restaurant running capabilities. Nothing kills a kitchen like an owner with crappy ideas. Here's to hoping that something or someone will turn the restaurant side of Trinity around. Until then, Trinity is a great place to enjoy great beer. If you get hungry, we recommend a stop at the nearby Chipotle.

Location: 1466 Garden of the Gods, Colorado Springs, CO 80907

Hours: Sunday thru Wednesday: 11am to 10pm, Thursday thru Saturday: 11am to midnight

Pricing: beers range from $4 to $6 and beyond, with Trinity's beers generally being the cheapest. Food ranges from $5 for the soups and salads, $6 to $7 for the appetizers and $8 for most of the sandwiches and "stuffers".

Intemann Trail / Red Rock Park Loop - Manitou Springs, CO

This route reflects our attempt to link Manitou's Intemann Trail with Red Rock Canyon, the latest addition to Colorado's State Park System. Due to a break in the Intemman Trail near the Manitou Springs High School, this route is composed of a mix of road and trail running, resulting in a twisting route that sometimes feels unnecessarily long, but provides some of the best views and trail running the in Manitou/Colorado Springs area.

The run starts on Manitou Avenue's intersection with Ruxton Ave., where it heads west up Ruxton, turns on Spring Street and heads up a fairly steep, but short, climb on to the Intemann Trail. The Intemann runs east along the foothills south of Manitou until it ends at the Manitou Springs Cemetery. Due to some property/easement issues which prevents a continuation of the trail through the cemetery, the trail picks up again near the Crystal Park neighborhood entrance, requiring a long stretch of road running between the cemetery and the next trailhead. From the Crystal Park trailhead, the Intemann begins its climb into the Red Rock Canyon area, passing a variety of red sandstone formations before intersecting with a connecting trail leading down into the Canyon (the spur is clearly marked). The Intemann varies in width; from singletrack to car lane. Be careful on the spur between Crystal Park and Red Rock Canyon, it's a popular section for mountain bikers.

Red Rock Canyon provides multiple options for working your through its environs. Part of the fun of the park is exploring its nooks and crannies, so please use our route as a rough guide, our path is but one of many to be taken. Because the park is so new many of the "trails" have yet to be marked, but the cororallary is that the park itself has fewer crowds, allowing for more serene runs than the Garden of the Gods can provide. The views of the park, above and from within, are incredibly beautiful, and make the numb feeling in your toes worth it. There are few places in the Springs area that provide such accessible, dramatic views.

The return route to Manitou consists of side roads back to downtown, passing near the Garden of the Gods, allowing for an extended loop if your legs are up for more work. Make sure to check out the new creek path near the Highway 24 overpass when running west on El Paso Boulevard. The path will dump you out near the Briahurst Manor, allowing you to take Manitou Avenue back into downtown Manitou, where food and recovery beer abound.

Distance: 11 miles round trip

Directions: Starting at the intersection of Manitou Avenue and Ruxton Avenue, run up Ruxton towards the Cog Railroad Depot and take a left on Spring Street (a dirt road, about 1/4 of a mile from the intersection). Once on Spring Street the road will head uphill with a spur taking a hairpin right, continuing uphill. Take the spur which will bring you to the chained entrance to Intemann Trail. Continue uphill where the trail will eventually level off and begin a slow descent to Pawnee Ave where it will end.

Once on Pawnee, head downhill and take a right on Fairmont Avenue. Take Fairmont until it dead ends, at which you can access a short spur of the Intemann trail that will put you on to Delaware Road. Head east on Delaware Road until it dead ends. At the dead end is where the Intemann picks up again, bringing you through a small playground and gradually winding uphill toward the Manitou Springs Middle School. Near the Middle School the trail will take a sharp right and head downhill. Continue on until you you are above the Manitou Springs High School, where the trail will again head downhill and deposit you in the Manitou Springs Cemetery.

Run downhill to exit the cemetery, which will deposit you on to Plainview Place. Continue downhill, where the road will veer right and eventually intersect with Poplar Place. A left on Poplar deposits you on to Crystal Park Road. Take a right on Crystal Park Road (heading east) and run 1.5 miles up to the next Intemann Trail trailhead (there will be a sign on the left). Be careful on this segment; there are no sidewalks, and a few blind corners. Thankfully traffic is usually light.

Once back on the Intemann, the trail will head east, winding above the Crystal Hills neighborhood. About 1.15 miles from the Crystal Park Road entrance, the trail will intersect with an access trail for Red Rocks Park. Take this access trail, winding down toward Red Rocks Park, where the trail will eventually intersect with a much wider path. There are a variety of ways to wind down through the park, so definitely explore.

After reaching the park's parking lot, cross Highway 24 and West Colorado Ave via Ridge Road. At West Pikes Peak Ave. take a left and run to the intersection with Columbia Road, where you want to take a right and then your first left on to El Paso Boulevard. El Paso will take you all the way back into Manitou. Our route uses a new path that starts near the Manitou Springs Skate Park and runs behind the pool along Fountain Creek until it ends at the Briarhurst Manor. From there, continue West back in to downtown Manitou.


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Garden of the Gods/Cheyenne Canyon Loop - Manitou Springs, CO

Beyond the endless sprawl that typifies Colorado's Front Range are a number of more isolated pockets, where the plains from the East run into the foothills of the mountains, that provide the Front Range with some startling geographic formations that make exploring these pockets on bike incredibly fun and almost makes you forget the endless rows of houses behind you. Such is both the frustration and joy of Colorado's Front Range.

One of the better loops I've found in the Manitou Springs/Colorado Springs area winds through a number of these formations while providing some decent climbs and great views of Pikes Peak and downtown Colorado Springs (I'm all about the views). The centerpieces of the ride are Garden of the Gods Park and Cheyenne Canyon, two very distinct geological areas that we loop together through some of Colorado Springs cooler neighborhoods (don't roll your eyes, they do exist).

The ride starts in Manitou Springs, a cool little pocket in and of itself, winds through town before beginning a short climb into the Garden of the Gods (you can also start in downtown Colorado Springs, but navigating to the Garden of the Gods from there is a bit more traffic intense). The Garden is a series of red sandstone formations that have been pushed vertical by some crazy geological mojo. The formations break up the view of the Pikes Peak foothills, and thanks to the area's tourist town focus, sports a nice, wide road that runs through the entire park. The Garden sits on a series of hills, so this section of the ride is more rolling than anything else. At its high points, this part of the ride has amazing views of Pikes Peak and the mountains to the South. On a clear day you can see Red Rocks Canyon, the natural extension of the Garden that runs to the South. Because the Garden is a major tourist attraction, the traffic through it can be somewhat heavy, but thankfully the road is wide enough to easily accommodate everybody.

After the ride leaves the Garden of the Gods you will wind your way down toward Colorado Ave., and then head East, through Old Colorado City. Old Colorado City is a mix of shops, restaurants and bars, similar in vibe to Manitou, but with more of a focus on clothing boutiques. I like this area because it feels like a separate town from Colorado Springs, lacking in the whole Army/James Dobson vibe that Colorado Springs has at times (not that there is anything wrong with that. Sort of). The traffic through here moves slowly through two lanes, so riding with the traffic is not much of a problem.

After passing through Old Colorado City, the ride begins a long climb up to the Cheyenne Canyon Area. This part of town is where the huge, new money houses are. So along with every architecturally appealing home is one that looked it was designed by someone who was having a seizure while tripping. A lovely effect. After riding through the Cheyenne Mountain area, the ride takes a turn toward the West, and into the canyon that forms the other half of this ride.

Cheyenne Canyon is a deep gouge in the southern foothills of Colorado Springs, with high rock walls and narrow roads. Riding through the canyon is at once visually stunning, and a bit , treacherous, as there are a number of almost blind corners that cars often come through too fast (this is where our driving teacher took us in high school. I have memories of one of my classmates almost running us into the rock walls on every narrow turn. This is what I think about when I hear cars coming). BUT, don't let this deter you, as most cars move pretty slow, and the road is wide enough for them to pass you easily. If you head up there at the right time, like the early morning or late afternoon, its rare that you will see a car back there. This part of the ride is the steepest, climbing up a road that runs parallel to a creek. As you come close the crest of the climb, the road passes by Helen Hunt Falls, a worthwhile place to take a break on the way down. Past the falls, the road takes a series of switchbacks before turning to turn at Gold Camp Road. This is where I turn around. The descent back down the canyon is super fast and lots of fun, just be weary of the slow-ass tourists that apparently have never seen rocks before.

After coming out of the canyon, the ride takes you into the Broadmoor neighborhood, but before doing so make sure to ride by Starr Kempf's house. Starr was a local artist known for his huge steel sculptures that still reside on his front lawn. After this minor detour, the ride heads up past the Broadmoor hotel and crests at the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. This is a short, somewhat intense climb that wraps up the side of Cheyenne Mountain. This part of the ride is worthwhile simply for the views of Colorado Springs and the mountains to the West. I usually loop through the parking lot before heading back down. The descent from the zoo is a ton of fun and will take you past one of the more aesthetically attractive buildings in this part of town, the Broadmoor, a luxury hotel with some amazing landscaping. A great place to bring a date for a drink. There are a number of cool neighborhoods around the Broadmoor/Zoo area that are worth exploring. After the Broadmoor area, the ride will return back through the Cheyenne Mountain neighborhoods, and back through Old Colorado city.

Distance: 31.50 miles roundtrip

Directions: From Downtown Manitou Springs, head East on Manitou Ave and take a left at Buena Vista Place, which is just past the Manitou Pool. At the stop sign take a right, and then your first left onto Garden Drive, which will take you through the Garden (the road goes through a number of name changes, but there is ony one route through). You will eventually come to an intersection where you can go right or left onto Juniper Way. Take the left and head down the hill to the stop sign, where you will take a right on Gateway Rd. Look for a dirt road/path on the ride that parallels 30th St. This path is dirt, but lets you avoid the heavily trafficked 30th St. Take this path until it dead-ends onto 31st St. Head south on this and it will take you to Colorado Ave.

At Colorado Ave, take a left and head through Old Colorado City. At 26th St take a right, cross Cimarron/Hwy 24 and climb up to Lower Gold Camp Road. Once you hit Lower Gold Camp take a left and head downhill until you hit S 21st St. Take a right here. 21st will turn into Cresta, and will take you through the Cheyenne Mountain neighborhoods and past the Cheyenne Mountain High School. Soon after the High School you will come to Cheyenne Blvd. Take a left here and head West. Cheyenne Blvd will eventually turn into N Cheyenne Canyon Road. This road will take you all the way to the top of the Cheyenne Canyon section of the loop.

After descending back down the canyon, take a right onto Evans Ave, riding past Starr Kempf's house, and take a left onto Mesa Ave, and then bear right onto Penrose Blvd. Penrose will take you all the way up to the zoo. Loop through the parking lot and head back down Penrose where you will come to a stop sign (you've already been through this intersection), and take a right onto El Pomar Road. This road takes you past the Broadmoor and to a traffic circle. Take the second exit and then take a left at the first opportunity which will put you onto Cresta Rd.

Take Cresta all the way back, but instead of turning back onto Lower Gold Camp, keep heading straight, over the hill, and down until the road (now 21st) intersects with Cimmarron/Hwy 24. Cross the highway, and take a left at Colorado Ave, which will take you back through Old Colorado City. At 31st, take a right and then your first left. This puts you onto W. Pikes Peak Ave, a road that parallels Colorado but has very little traffic. Eventually this road will dead-end. Take a right and then your first left, this puts you onto El Paso Blvd which will take you all the way back to Manitou.

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Gog and Magog Hike - Manitou Springs, CO

Of course this hike exists in Manitou Springs, proverbial home of witches and Satan enthusiasts in Colorado. Google "Gog and Magog" and up pops website after website abound with satanic intonations. Wikipedia has a pretty comprehensive article about the history of the names and how they have been used in various religious cultures throughout the centuries. I have no idea who named the rock formation that gives the trail its name, but the bottom line is this: bring a goat and some gold to the top to add to the existing pile and you'll be fine.

The hike is in the same valley as the Incline, at the end of Ruxton Road. Similar to the Incline, this hike is steep. It gains about 1500 feet in 3 miles, using plenty of switchbacks and even some boulder scrambling. I would not rank this trail as difficult as the Ute Trail in Aspen, but it definitely gets the heart rate up and is a good alternative if the Incline is too crowded.

The problem with this trail is that it is difficult to follow in places. I get the feeling when climbing it that its creation was the result of people bushwacking through it rather than any conscious efforts at trail creation. It is definitely worn down from heavy use, and once you find it the navigating is not that difficult, but there are parts where the trail appears to split. My suggestion is this: when the trail looks like it is going in two different directions, always take the one that heads uphill and you should be fine.

You quickly leave the trailhead behind as the first section of the trail gains elevation quickly through a series of switchbacks. This section does not last long - the switchbacks become more spaced apart as the trail winds up the hills. For the most part, the trees shelter much of the view, until you reach the higher sections of the hike where numerous rock outcroppings provide some spectacular views of the Manitou Springs Valley and downtown Colorado Springs. The trail will eventually appear to dead end into a large formation of rocks. This is where your boulder scrambling skills kick in - just climb over them and the trail will resume on the other side. Continue following the trail up until you come to the first large rock formation that gives the trail its name, Gog. At this point the trail will actually dead end, and you must climb up a short section of rock if you want to continue to the next formation. Once atop Gog, you can see the other large rock formation on the other end of what is a generally flat and sandy summit. The second formation, Magog, farther to the south is the more impressive of the two, with more dramatic features and some great spots for bouldering or top-rope climbing.

Overall, the hike has some incredibly impressive views of Pikes Peak and its surrounding foothills. The view itself makes this hike worth it, but the rock formations are fun to explore as well. Take some climbing shoes and chalk with you if you want to get some low key bouldering in while you are there.

Distance: about 3 miles up

Time: 55 minutes

Directions: From downtown Manitou Springs, take Manitou Ave west and take a left on Ruxton Avenue. Continue on Ruxton to the Cog Railroad depot and park (try the Barr Trail lot for more parking). Once on foot, continue up Ruxton Ave until it turns into a dirt road. The creek will be on your left. Walk up the dirt about 100 yards and look to the left for a large log that crosses the creek. Cross this log and cross the Cog tracks. The trailhead should be right in front of you.


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Coffin Races - Manitou Springs, CO

This entry is not really in line with the rest of the blog, but I thought it was a fun event that definitely qualified as a "race" on some level. Manitou Springs is a weird town, and it's only fitting that it hosts one of the weirdest races that I have ever done: The Emma Crawford Coffin Races.

Emma was a resident of the town who moved to Manitou for her tuberculosis. Unfortunately she passed away, and buried in a grave on top of Red Mountain. During a heavy rainstorm her coffin was washed back into town. And now we celebrate that journey, and her life, with the coffin races.

This is the basic setup of the event: a bunch of people get in crazy costumes, bring their custom coffins to town, strap some numbers on, place their "Emma" in the coffin and then race 2 at a time down Manitou Avenue for 250 yards. Oh, and there is a hearse parade and prizes for the best "Emma." Our coffin did not do as well as we wanted (30 something out of 40+), but we had a great time, and managed not to take anybody out in the crowd, which was a moral victory.

Thanks to Kristian for the picture.

Waldo Canyon - Manitou Springs, CO

I recently made my second trip to Waldo Canyon 22 years after my first visit. I think a deep childhood trauma has prevented me from exploring it.

When I was 4, my dad decided to take me to his friends' wedding, which was in a meadow about 2 miles up the trail. Before the wedding attendees started out on the hike, they were handed balloons filled with helium that we were supposed to release when the ceremony was over (I know - big no no, but it was the 80's). We pulled into the parking lot, got our balloons, and started heading up the trail. On our first try we made it about a 1/2 mile into the hike before my stumpy legs and resulting short stature resulted in my balloon brushing up against a yucca plant and popping. My dad, good sport that he is, gave me his balloon and we kept going, until my height problem again resulted in a popped balloon. Seeking to avoid me throwing a fit, my dad turned us around, back to the parking lot where we resupplied ourselves. I believe we visited the parking lot two more times that day, in a Sisyphean effort to make it to the wedding with undamaged balloons in hand. By the end, my dad was carrying me, two balloons, water and a scowl. To this day whenever I mention Waldo Canyon my dad shakes his head, growls and mutters to himself; "Stupid hike took forever. Why did I have kids. I hate balloons. Where is my scotch." Since that day I have been hesitant to return to the spot that has caused so much grumbling over the years.

Surprisingly, Waldo Canyon does NOT take forever, and makes for a much better run than hike. The overall setup of the trail resembles a big lollipop. The first section is about 2 miles long, winding up the hillsides before winding back into the Canyon and running through a wide meadow (the wedding site!). This first section is pretty gradual, winding mostly uphill until the last 1/2 mile. About 100 yards past the meadow, the trail splits, forming a 3.5 mile loop (there is an obvious sign). To the left the trail winds up a narrow canyon, following a creek. To the right, the trail climbs steeply up a number of switchbacks, cresting numerous times onto ridges before dropping into the canyon with the creek. I have only gone counterclockwise, which starts with a series of steep switchbacks before leveling out as the trail runs along two ridges and then eventually starts winding downhill into the canyon. It looks like either way is equally difficult as both require steep climbs right at the beginning. Regardless, the views within the loop are amazing; canyon walls, Pikes Peak, Manitou. Great from any direction.

The trails is fairly heavily populated, but it seems like most people stop at the meadow and avoid the loop. The trail is dog friendly too. Waldo is my new favorite run in this part of Colorado, one that definitely makes it easy to come back for more.

Directions: From downtown Manitou, head West on Highway 24 for about 2 miles. The parking lot and trailhead is on the right. Watch for a sign on the right hand side of the Highway that indicates a trail is ahead.

Incline to Barr Camp - Manitou Springs, CO

Due to my extended stay in Manitou I have been able to do a more extensive reconnaissance of the trails in the area. For the most part I have known about, or heard about, most of the trails around town, but with the advent of more time on my hands (translation: jobless) I have been able to explore more of the area. The Incline to Barr Camp run was the result of three things: 1) a desire to revisit Barr Camp after about a decade 2) an attempt to experience the Colorado fall and 3) a need to do some high altitude running to prepare for the Golden Leaf. I had the last reason on my mind the most when I started exploring the run, but that quickly gave way to enjoying the incredible scenery provided by the mountains and the aspen groves running through them. For some reason, when the run is gorgeous, like Eagle Creek or this one, it makes running for long periods of time so much easier. For this reason, I think I would be obese if I had to move to the Midwest.

I started the run by doing the Incline first. I wanted to do this to bypass the series of steep switchbacks that typify the beginning of Barr Trail and to get to 8600 feet or so as quickly as possible. From the top of the Incline, there is an access trail to the upper portion of Barr Trail. You can find it by walking straight, as if the Incline continued, until you reach a trail that angles up (there are some logs stacked next to the beginning of it). Do not confuse this trail with the one that angles slightly down, in the same general area. The downward trail dead ends into some impassable fencing. Once you are on the access trail, it is about a 1/2 mile to the intersection with Barr Trail.

From the intersection with the trail, the run heads up Barr Trail toward Barr Camp, gaining about 2,000 feet in elevation over 4 miles. The climbing is mostly gradual, winding through meadows and forest area until it reaches Barr Camp, located at 10, 200 feet. There are numerous vista points along the run that are home to some incredible views. Pikes Peak is almost always in front of you as you run, and the before mentioned aspens pocket the area. There are points where you actually run through aspen meadows, with the leaves forming a carpet on the trail. Pretty awesome.

From Barr Camp I simply turned around and headed back down the trail, all the way to the bottom (no desire to explode my knees trying to do the Incline in reverse). The whole thing took me 2 to 2.5 hours. I would bring some food and water, as there are not any freshwater sources that are drinkable on the run. Barr Camp, when it is open, sells food if you want to bring cash instead.

Overall I would say that this is one of my favorite runs in the area. It is a bit long, so perhaps best to do it during the weekend. The trail was not too crowded, but that changes during the weekends. The temperature at Barr Camp is usually about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the town temp, so dress accordingly. Something else to thing about: Mountain lion attacks. I have an irrational fear of being mauled by a mountain lion whenever I run in this town. Although wouldn't it be awesome if a mountain lion tried to maul you and you killed it and then used its teeth to make a necklace that you wore to the bars to impress the ladies? That would be the ultimate.

Paul Intemann Memorial Trail - Manitou Springs, CO

Running along the southern rim of the valley in which Manitou Springs resides is the Paul Intemann Memorial trail, a 5+ mile trail built by a completely volunteer force that winds from the western edge of town into the eastern edges of Colorado Springs. The trail is named after city planner Paul Intemann who was killed in a car accident in 1986. Over the years the trail has grown and been extended, and exists as a great memorial to Paul's work in making Manitou Springs a wonderful place to call home.

The trail winds the entire extent of Manitou Springs, making it a great first arrival destination for anyone looking to get a bird's eye view of the town. From the trail, both the Incline and Red Mountain are easily accessible. In general, the trail is great for running, with only a view steep parts. For the most part the trail is dirt, with some paved sections which function more as connection points to the dirt sections. The most easily accessible trail head is the Iron Springs Trailhead, which can be reached by taking Manitou Ave west to Ruxton Ave. Follow that up the canyon until the Iron Springs gazebo.

Red Mountain - Manitou Springs, CO

From downtown Manitou, one of the dominant mountains that overlooks town is Red Mountain, so named for the red sands and granite that give the mountain its unique tinge. In town, the mountain is known for two things; the traditional launching site for the town's 4th of July fireworks, and Emma Crawford's coffin, which managed to wrench its way out of the red sands in which it was buried and travel down the mountain in a mudslide until it reached downtown. This little event inspired Manitou's famous Emma Crawford Race.

I had hiked Red Mountain when I was younger but was never too curious about it until my brother showed me a new trail that winds to the top of it. The Red Mountain Trail is a spur of the Intemann Trail, and winds about 2 miles to the summit of the mountain, where a large concrete platform awaits. Running, it took about 16 minutes from the beginning of the trail to the summit. For the most part the trail is fairly steep, with a lot of loose gravel at the beginning. But as you climb, the trail becomes more firm and levels out a bit.

By itself, the trail is a pretty short workout. But worked in with a longer run along the Intemann trail, it makes for a great out and back leg burner. My plan the next time I head back to town is to combine Red Mountain with the Incline for a long climbing day.

From downtown Manitou Springs, take Manitou Avenue west and turn left at Ruxton. Park near the Iron Spring gazebo and head up the dirt road (Spring Street) and take your first right. The trailhead starts at the chained off road, and the spur for Red Mountain is about a mile into the trail (heading east).

Manitou Springs, CO

The more I come back to Manitou, the more I grow to love it. I grew up here, so I've been able to see the changes over the years, and there have been a lot. At its core, Manitou is tourist hamlet of 5000 full-time residents with an array of various tourist attractions, like the Cog Railroad and the Cave of the Winds that are derived from the hills and mountains that surround the town. Growing up, the main street was filled with kitschy T-shirt shops and souvenir stores. Some of them still exist, but the town has undergone a bit of a renaissance as of late, with a variety of great new stores moving in, and the sidewalks and streets undergoing a renovation. Old, dilapidated buildings have been renovated and the town overall is much improved.

Manitou is known more as an artists enclave than as an outdoor destination, but there are a variety of great work out venues easily accessible from town. Foremost among them, at least in my eyes, is the Incline, by far one of the most strenuous things I have ever done. Adjacent to the Incline is Barr Trail, which winds to the top of Pikes Peak and is home to both the Pikes Peak Ascent and the Pikes Peak Marathon. Winding along the southern hills through town is the Paul Intemann Memorial Trail, a great multipurpose trail that is mostly dirt and extends from the west end of town all the way into Colorado Springs. There are numerous offshoots from the trail which lead on to other great runs and hikes.

Farther to the east of town sits the Garden of the Gods and Red Rock Canyon, both part of the same geological formation of vertical standing sandstone, and both home to great running
and hiking trails. Garden of the Gods is a great place to ride as well;
every road through the park has an accompanying bike lane.

I'm excited to see how the town evolves in the future. I would love to see more high end shops moving in, along with a bigger variety of restaurants. It would also be great if the town could develop a broader ranger of mountain biking access and more running trails. But overall, the town is definitely up and coming. The more I experience other places, the more I love coming home.

The Incline - Manitou Springs, CO

The Manitou Springs Incline is immediately apparent when driving into the hamlet of Manitou Springs, CO (home of witches, geode shops and Clayfest). It is a vertical scar up the front of Mt. Manitou, once hosting train tracks for a pulley-operated train car/tourist attraction. Summer floods sent boulders into the track more than a decade ago, resulting in the tracks being removed by the company that owns the land. In their graciousness the company left behind the railroad ties, essentially creating a huge StairMaster. A brutal, never-ending, incredibly steep StairMaster with lots of people that are ill prepared to climb it mixed with an equal number of incredibly fit and attractive people. Awesome, and good for Olympics training.

The hike is all uphill. There are no downhill sections of the ties, so be prepared for very little in the way of breaks. Breaking the Incline into thirds, the first 1/3 is fairly gradual with a few flatter sections, the second 1/3 is typified by a 50% vertical grade that makes the Incline a brutal wildabeast of a workout (this middle section is where the Barr Trail bailout is), and the last 1/3 that is more similar to the beginning with a final short and steep section to the summit.

Once on the summit, and slightly recovered, a common question often arises; "how in the fuck do I get down?". There are a couple of ways - which one you choose depends on the shape of your knees and how much time you have. The quickest way down is a well-worn trail that begins immediately to the left of the summit and runs into Barr Trail (the light blue line on the map). The longer way down is found by continuing to walk as if the Incline kept going. You will eventually run into a trail that heads steeply up before heading downhill and running into Barr Trail (the dark blue line on the map). Both of these routes put you onto Barr Trail which will bring you to the trail parking lot (the green line on the map), or to the creek and Ruxton Ave. On a hot day the cutoff to the creek is a great way to cool down before climbing back in the car. Lastly, and most painfully, you can just go back down the Incline, either all the way to the bottom or to the Barr Trail bailout (the pink line on the map). I used to do this a lot and there are various arguments against it. One, it hurts and two, it contributes a lot to the erosion, and I have seen hikers heading up get pretty annoyed at those coming down.

The company that owns the Incline, and the nearby Cog Railroad, ostensibly prohibits people from accessing the climb. I have not heard of them ever attempting to enforce the "No Trespassing" prohibitions, and from what I've read lately it appears that the town and the landowner are attempting to create some sort of easement in order to allow legal access to the Incline. Once you see a Manitou cop or two, you'll quickly realize that nobody is going to chase you down to give you a ticket.

Distance: about 1 mile from the start of the ties to the summit, and about 3.5 miles from the summit to the parking lots

Time: anywhere from 20 minutes to 1 hour, depending on your fitness

Directions: From downtown Manitou Springs: take Manitou Avenue west and take a left on Ruxton Avenue. The start of the Incline is right above the Cog Railroad's upper lot. Park along Ruxton or in the Barr Trail parking lot.


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