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 Reporter |
Summary: After a brief scramble up some loose tallus to the trail this is a fairly level easy hike. This old railroad bed is falling into disrepair and washouts are beginning to take over. Be sure to hike this before it's gone. It is a wonderful path through history following the abandoned railroad bed above Manitou Springs. Along the way you will pass through 5 tunnels and explore the first half of the sixth. The last half of the sixth tunnel is on private property. A cinderblock wall with a gate will prevent you from going too far. A good flashlight is required for this hike. I would have given four stars, but the noise and pollution from the highway ruin part of the hike. On the map provided the yellow sections represent where the tunnels are and the red represents the open sections. If the tunnels worry you, there are paths that lead around and over the hills, but this adds a lot to the hike. Trailhead: From Colorado Springs head west on highway 24 past Manitou Springs. At the Waldo Canyon trailhead turnaround (the second turnaround in the canyon), turn back east on 24. After about 3/4 of a mile you will see a parking area on the left (north) side of the road (just before the first turnaround in the canyon). Park there. You will have to cross the road on foot to get to the south side. This is the most dangerous part of the hike. Be careful. Then walk a short ways east just past where the guard rail begins and you will see a small trail leading up the slope to your right. This is the trailhead. (Lat:38.87645 Lon:-104.937616) Trail Guides for Railroad Bed above Manitou Springs: Best Seasons: Fall, Spring, Summer, User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Ranger Contact: Pikes Peak Ranger District 719-636-1602 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Joshua Friesema, who has posted 97 other hikes on this site. To visit this reporters web site, click here. Trail Reviews Page 1 of 4 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Sherry on 7/2/2011 The climb up was not fun, but overall we enjoyed this hike very much. We had two adults, a 12yo, and an 8yo do this hike with no problems. There is some bad washout on the trail and I'm sure it will be even worse next year. Fixing up the washed out parts of the trail would be a great eagle scout project. There were signs of homeless people still using the caves, but we didn't see anyone.
Reviewed by AJC on 6/5/2011 Was a nice trail. We didn't see any vagabonds but we did see a someone's stuff setup at the end of long tunnel. The trail is not maintained very well and the initial scramble is quite steep, but overall it is a very neat hike and a look into history.
Reviewed by James on 6/4/2011 My grand daughter and I hiked this trail on May 31, 2011. We did not see any bums or vagabonds but we did see a lot of trash they left behind. There was two or three places that I would call dangerous - small children should be supervised. At the end of this trail there are other trails you can trek. We saw two deer on a side trail. Good hike for kids.
Reviewed by Jesse on 5/30/2011 nice run my dog loved it and most of the homeless people have moved off the main trail the last side trail will take u to there hobo camp 
Reviewed by CindyJ on 12/15/2010 Just want to point out that we ran into some rough looking homeless people using the 5th tunnel ( which is long and dark with a curve) to sleep off their hangovers etc., including a campfire which we smelled as we entered the tunnel and gave us the first clue. Apparently when the city broke up the camps along the river they headed for anywhere they could get out of the weather. We had enjoyed the tunnels and hike up until this point. Regrettably, we turned around as we didn't want to approach these people. This was in the summer. 
Reviewed by crakerjk on 7/30/2010 Did this hike with the family last night. Like many have others have said, the toughest part is the initial climb. Other than that it is a fairly easy trail with a few parts that will make you nervous if you are afraid of skinny paths across washed out sections. There isn't really anything very remarkable about it though. The tunnels are getting a bit littered, and the highway noise is with you the whole hike. All in all, This was a nice hike but I wont be heading back.
Reviewed by Gil on 7/17/2010 The hike was great. A few spots where it gets a little scary with loose gravel but nothing that cant be handled. At the 6th tunnel there is a trail that goes over the top of it and the view at the top of the hill is worth the small climb up.
Reviewed by KC on 7/11/2010 Loved the trail, the tunnels were lots of fun to hike through, even more beautiful to look through! But I will agree with other reviews and say hikers BEWARE of the washed out parts of the trail! The gravel is VERY LOOSE and it's easy to slip, and if you do then you'll take off down a cliff side and its a long fall. I hiked with a friend and we did fine on the way in, but she slipped on the way back out (exactly where the last reviewer said: a cliff above a homeless camp) and if there hadn't been a tree root sticking out for me to grab, I'd never have caught her in time and probably would have slid down myself. BE CAREFUL! I don't mean to frighten anyone away because it's a great hike, just be aware and you'll be fine! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Colorado Hiking, Colorado Trails, Colorado Hikes, El Paso County Hiking, El Paso County Trails, El Paso County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
