East Rampart Roadless Area loop

The largest proposed roadless area in the Pikes Peak region is also one of the least visited, 30,000 acres of rugged wooded hills, quiet pleasant meadows and surprising rock formations that can make you forget how close you really are to the urban density of the Front Range.

This loop with a short spur to an overlook, easily accessed from Palmer Lake, makes for a great half-day hike, to see a side of the Rampart Range you’ve been missing.

To get there

From Interstate 25, take exit 161 in Monument and Colorado Highway 105 to Palmer Lake. In Palmer Lake, turn left on Lower Glenway Street and go two blocks west to High Street. Turn left, go one block, jog left to Old Carriage Road. Park at the obvious public trailhead parking area.

Trip log

• 3 boots
• 6.6 miles
• 2,000 feet of elevation gain

The hike

Walk along a reservoir access road, passing the lower reservoir at .6 miles and the upper at 1.15. Follow the trail around an inlet on the upper reservoir, and turn right at a “V” at 1.8 miles.

The trail climbs steeply up a ridge, with a four-way junction at the top. Turn left for the overlook spur, also known as the Winding Stairs Trail, a 1 mile hike with a bit of rock scrambling and 700 feet of elevation gain. Look for the pancake-like overlook on your left, just after the trail runs through a large eroded boulder. Return the way you came.

Back at the four-way junction on the ridge crest, turn left (north) and drop into the serene Ice Cave Creek valley. Cross the creek, head right at a campsite and cross the creek again. In another .4 miles, at a “V” intersection, head right. This area can be confusing, with several small side trails, but the trail you want is the Sundance Trail, which runs east and uphill. If you reach a large rock pillar that stands alone, turn around because you missed the trail.

Climb relentlessly out of the valley. At the top, the effort is rewarded with views of Pikes Peak in the distance.
Look for another intersection, and turn right, as the trail runs steadily downhill back to the lower reservoir. Hop back on the access road and return to the trailhead.

Details

No camping or swimming around the reservoirs, and dogs must be leashed. Camping is allowed beyond in Pike National Forest. Many side trails have evolved over the years, some of which lead to private property, so watch where you’re walking.