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 Reporter |
Summary: From the parking area the trail begins by heading East along the road. The trail does two switchbacks and then continues east up an old road. Upon reaching Horsethief park the trail levels out and there are several nice camping spots along the trail. Continue on through the park to a sign directing you toward Pancake Rocks. Turn right at this intersection. The trail will begin to gain a lot of elevation as you ascend the ridge. After a series of switchbacks the trail will again level off. After hiking a short ways the trail will then descend again into another small valley. From here you will get your first look at the rocks. After hiking up the other side of the valley you will soon find yourself in the midst of the rocks. My camera's batteries died by the time I reached the rocks, so my photo shown of the rocks was taken by Steve Garufi. Visit him at www.coloradoguy.com. Thanks Steve. Trailhead: Take Highway 24 West to Divide. At Divide turn south on highway 67 and go a little over 9 miles. The road will pass by the old tunnel entrance. Continue to the other (South) side of the tunnel to find the parking area. This is the horsethief falls trailhead and is where you will start. (Lat:38.83462 Lon:-105.13721) Trail Guides for Pancake Rocks: Mountain Biking Colorado Springs Second Edition by David Crowell (The Globe Pequot Press) Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Bikes, Horses, 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 Submit your own review 
Reviewed by rmd on 5/31/2009 The scenery at the top makes the long uphill climb well worth it.
Reviewed by DanandMoni on 10/7/2007 We hiked Horsethief Falls and Pancake Rocks yesterday. It was a beautiful cool fall day. The aspens have already peaked, but there are still a lot of leaves on the trees. We ate lunch at Pancake Rocks and climbed around for a while. The scenery was awesome. This was a great hike and we will certainly do it again.
Reviewed by K R H on 8/19/2007 A very, very scenic view once you top it. Very quiet and serene also. Bring your walking poles to make the trip up much easier. In the winter this trail going up from the bottom has the most melt from every tree, etc. I have ever seen and is absolutely gorgeous.
Reviewed by WRE on 6/2/2007 This is hike is worth it for the rocks and view at the top. However the trail is hard to follow even without snow and this is not a beginner's hike. It was challenging, especially just starting out the season. Again, the view and rock formations are spectacular and the price paid to get there was forgotten once I arrived. 
Reviewed by Kent on 2/17/2007 As a winter hike, this was a bit tough… especially having not hiked it before. We missed the last turn-off to the rocks and never actually found them (snow had covered over the trail at that point). Still, it was a good winter-time workout and had some nice views of (what I think were) the Collegiate Peaks. Now that I know where I went wrong, I may try it once more in the summer. For winter hiking, snow shoes are not required but definitely would have helped. Due to some recent snow, the trail was not slippery, but I can see where it could be once it gets packed down. Definitely dress warm as most of the hiking is up the north (i.e., “shadedâ€) side of a mountain and also leaves you somewhat exposed to wind near the top.
Reviewed by Nelli and Sandy on 6/10/2006 What a nice hike! The trail was very well maintained and had many beautiful spots for resting and checking out the great views. The pancake rocks were well worth the hike and were a great place to eat lunch. We also took horsethief trail up to the falls but found them still under a few feet of ice in June! Still a nice hike though.
Reviewed by Bob & Lora on 10/27/2005 Attempted the hike on 10/26/05 and found ourselves completely alone throughout the day. The trail became increasingly hazardous on the steep switchbacks due to hard backed snow and ice created by previous hikers. Had to abandon the attempt for safety reasons. Fell three times on the ice during the descent. Will try again when things warm up and the trail is clear.
Reviewed by Ivan on 9/25/2005 Did the hike on 9/24 and the Aspen trees were incredibly yellow (probably at peak). A great hike, but next time I would pack a lunch to eat at the Pancake Rocks lookout area. It's a great spot to sit, relax and explore all the amazing rock formations. 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, Teller County Hiking, Teller County Trails, Teller County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
