| Difficulty: | Class 2 |
| Exposure: |  |
| Summit Elevation: | 14,110 feet |
| Trailhead Elevation: | 10,100 feet |
| Elevation Gain: | 4,200 feet |
| Round-trip Length: | 11.50 miles |
| Trailhead: | Crags Campground |
| Weather Info: | NOAA Link |
| TOPO! GPS File: | Read First | Download |
| GPX File: | Read First | Download |
| Google Earth: | Read First | Download |
| County Sheriff: | Teller: 719-687-9652 |
| County Sheriff: | El Paso: 719-390-5555 |
| National Forest: | Pike |
| Author: | BillMiddlebrook |
| Last Updated: | June, 2006 |
Route #1) Pikes Peak - Northwest Slopes
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| Trailhead: | Take U.S. 24 to Divide. Turn south onto Colorado 67 and drive 4.1 miles. Near a ranch, turn left onto a dirt road that has a sign here for the Crags Campground. Drive 1.5 miles to the Rocky Mountain Camp and bear right for another 1.5 miles to the Crags campground. Turn left into the campground and drive 0.2 mile to the trailhead at the end of the campground. The trail starts just above the restrooms and upper parking. |
Details: |
From the top of the parking area, start up the Crags trail - Photo #1. Walk a few hundred yards to find three pipes coming straight up out of the ground on your left - Photo #2. They only stick out of the ground a few feet and two of the pipes have lids. Walk 30 yards past the pipes to a trail junction - the Crags trail goes left up the hill and a new trail (#664A) starts down to the right - Photo #3. Turn right, cross a stream on the log bridge (Photo #4), and hike a short distance up a hill to find a sign on the right that confirms that you are on the trail to Devils Playground. Hike through the forest to 10,400' and cross another small stream that may be dried up. Continue east through the forest for almost 1 mile to reach a clearing near 10,900' - Photo #5.
Directly east you can see above tree line. The trail will go through trees to the northeast of your view and then climb above tree line to a slope off to the east. From the clearing, continue along the trail and turn left near 11,050'. Hike up a hill and turn right at 11,300' - Photo #6. There's a large pile of rocks up to the northeast (to your left after your turned right up the hill). Climb the steep hillside through trees and rocks before leaving the trees near 11,900'. Aside from the final 500' to the summit, this is the most difficult portion of the hike. Once above tree line, the narrow trail heads southeast up and across the slope - Photo #7. Near 12,200', curve left and continue east, straight up the slope. When you reach the saddle at the top of the slope, you can see the Pikes Peak road to the east and the summit a long way off to the southeast. Continue straight for a bit and then follow the trail (small road) northeast and then east toward the Pikes road - Photo #8. Hike through a strip of rocks (Photo #9) and continue on the road to the large, sandy Devils Playground parking area. You may have to step over a cable to enter the parking area. Walk to the northeast side of the lot and cross to the east side of the Pikes Peak road - Photo #10. Step over another cable, turn right (south), and hike on the trail that parallels the main road. Photo #11 looks back at Devils Playground. You are more than 2.25 miles from the summit. Continue south along the road and past a point up to your left - Photo #12. Descend slightly to a corner of the road at 12,900' (Photo #13) and then start to hike away from the road again as you bypass another point up to your left. Continue up to the left side of Point 13,363' (Photo #14) where the remaining hike comes into full view - Photo #15. The trail may disappear temporarily in this area. Hike slightly up on the left side of Point 13,363' to find a solid trail leading past a corner of the road. Hike up through the rocks and pass yet another corner of the road. The terrain will level out for a bit before you get to the base of the final portion of the route. Photo #16 and Photo #17 are views of the final pitch. Hop up through the rocks and look for small cairns that mark the route or just pick your own line toward the summit - Photo #18. At 13,500', the slope gets a bit steeper - keep climbing up through the red rocks for 500' to reach a corner of the road (Photo #19) below the northwest side of the summit. Walk up and over to the buildings, cars, and people - Photo #20. |
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Notes: |
Past Devils Playground, stay on the trail to the left of the road. Do not hike on the road. |
Topo map #2:
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Route Photos: (Did you know?)
