Crags Trailhead

Posted On: 3/13/2017 By: bryanonfilm
Info: Per Forest Service - expected to be closed until JUNE 2017.

Posted On: 3/6/2017 By: jdroche135
Info: The road is still closed.

Posted On: 2/6/2017 By: coreycreighton
Info: According to the Pike Ranger District as of 6 Feb they estimate 30-45 days for the closure. The contact for the Pike Ranger District office is 719-636-1602 to call for closure updates.

Posted On: 1/13/2017 By: JQDivide
Info: The road is open and very driveable.... BUT you must stay on the packed tire tracks. Saw a few spots where people moved left or right off the tracks and looked like they got stuck, or at least spun some tires.
The tracks are not deep, so any 4x4 or AWD with a little clearance could make it to the TH, which is mostly packed. Only one lane, so will be trouble if you meet an oncoming vehicle. Take a snow shovel just in case.

Posted On: 1/13/2017 By: pmeadco
Info: Beginning Tuesday January 17, 2017 the Pikes Peak Ranger District of the Pike-San Isabel National Forest will be temporarily closing the Crags area including Forest Service Road 383, access to the Crags, Devils Playground and Raspberry Mountain in order to provide for public safety during hazard tree removal operations. This closure prohibits all public entry into the area, including foot and vehicle traffic.

A Forest Service contractor will be working over the winter and spring months with heavy equipment to fell and remove hazard trees in the area. A spruce beetle infestation several years ago has left many of the shallow rooted spruce trees standing dead along Forest Road 383. Hazard tree removal and associated area closures are expected along FS Road 383 over the next few years. Once the contractor has finished removing trees and snow melt off has occurred, the Forest Service will assess the area and determine if it is safe to re-open.

For more information about the Crags area and closure, please contact the Pikes Peak Ranger District at (719)636-1602. More information about alternate recreation areas can also be found on the Pike-San Isabel National Forest public website at http://www.fs.usda.gov/psicc

Posted On: 12/23/2016 By: Stratosfearsome
Info: Crags TH is open for now. I drove all the way to the trail head on 12/20 at 8pm, and returned 12/21 about 4:30pm. Plowed to Mennonite Camp from 67. Two pretty nice tracks for my 4x4 jeep. This was before any very recent percipitation. Not sure about the campground. Contact the Pikes Peak Ranger Station. Sounds like a tree crew will head-in there in January (they're not sure exactly when yet) when they are snowed out of their current location. Then this way will be closed to all access. Thank you 'geoffirons' for the heads up in this realm. Good luck. - Rob

Posted On: 12/5/2016 By: geoffirons
Info: Trailhead will close soon, and be closed all winter. The closure will be a new gate 1/4 mile in from Hwy 67. There will be NO access past the gate (vehicle, foot, snowshoe, ski, etc.) until further notice. The reason is heavy equipment will be in there removing trees killed by beetles. This information came from Pike National Forest this morning. They will email me the exact date of closure as soon as they know.
Long term plans are being reviewed. Currently, they are thinking to close the gate at the far end of the Mennonite Camp every winter, and expand the parking area just outside that gate (Rejoice!). They are also looking at re-routing parts of the Devil's Playground trail (NW Slopes route up Pikes Peak) near the trailhead.

Posted On: 12/1/2016 By: Eagle Eye
Info: Drove a high clearance 4wd to (signed) Trailhead Parking which is about 3.2 miles from the turn-off.

Posted On: 11/26/2016 By: Roald
Info: Ruts are starting to get deep past the Mennonite turnoff. Today it was easily passable with the right vehicle and I'd recommend 4WD/AWD, especially after the next storm or two rolls through. Trailhead lot is not plowed and probably has a foot of snow in it right now.

Posted On: 10/20/2016 By: JQDivide
Info: I-25 and US 24 intersection in Colorado Springs: Most of it will be closed this weekend as CDOT is working on the interchange.
https://www.codot.gov/projects/i25cimarronDB/weekly-construction-alerts

Uintah (west), to 21st, to 24 is a good detour.
JQ

Posted On: 7/6/2016 By: geoffirons
Info: Parking is getting pretty crazy. Today (Wed) the trailhead lot was about full before 11:00am. It is possible to get another row of cars behind the primary row, but that could result in some tight parking. The overflow lot is 0.5 mile lower down the road. It had 6-8 cars, with room for about another 10-12. The old trailhead lot (drive through the campground to the road end) had 2 cars, with room for another 10 (must pay day use fee to access this parking).
If going on weekends, get there super early.

Posted On: 6/24/2016 By: colorado yooper
Info: Road is recently graded so it's easy to go too fast. Please keep it slow, especially thru the Mennonite camp.

Posted On: 6/20/2016 By: geoffirons
Info: Crags trailhead (aka Devil's Playground trailhead) is now open. Free parking at the TH lot. No overflow parking along the road. No dispersed camping anywhere along the road. Overflow parking through Crags Campground at end of road ($6 day use fee).

Posted On: 6/16/2016 By: Cheli-K
Info: Pikes Peak Ranger District said they're aiming for end of June.

Posted On: 5/20/2016 By: Jim Davies
Info: From the Forest Service:
FSR 383 to the Crags has been CLOSED for all entry because of hazard trees and tree felling operations as of yesterday. It is expected to be closed for 3-4 weeks. There is no access to anyone on FSR 383, even on foot, for hiking or camping.
(should reopen in mid-June)