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Eleven Mile Canyon

© Virginia O'Connor

Introduction

Eleven mile canyon is a terrifically fine place to go bouldering and have a cookout. We head there at all times of the year. Fires are allowed on days when the fire danger is low. There is a small fee to enter the canyon, and this year it is just $3.00 per vehicle.

Trail Rating

• Boots: definitely 3 boots on the trails
• Kids: yes, but only very sure-footed kids for the trails
• Dogs: well yes, if they don't mind boulder-scrambling
• Facilities: yup, there are several along the road

What to Bring

Definitely bring a jacket - it gets cold and warm and cold again here. Bring lots of water. You will want to stay here for a long time, so make a day of it and bring enough dinner for a cookout. It is a way out of town, so there isn't much around if you end up with hungry children like we always do.

How to Get There

It takes about an hour to get there from Colorado Springs. Take Highway 24 West, passing the small towns of Woodland Park, Divide and Florissant. As you come into each of these towns, slow down! The police are very strict about the speed limits through the town and the road doesn't stop except for a couple of stoplights in Woodland Park. Eventually, you will come to a very small town called Lake George. On the left as you enter the town, you will see two buildings - the Bear Claw and Reichert's store. In between these two buildings is a street - take this left. Just around that corner is the turn (on the right) to 11-Mile Canyon. Pay your fee and drive on in! This creek runs the entire canyon.

The canyon is about eleven miles long and ends up at a reservoir - so don't be afraid to skip the first few parking lots/campgrounds. Keep on going - it gets prettier as you go.

Trail Specifics

I should clarify that there are a bunch of little trails on both sides of the road near the campgrounds, but these aren't like the trails we have been discussing all along. These are narrow trails that tend to disappear in the rocks and brush. Mostly you will find lots of bouldering - rock scrambling - and you will see lots of rock climbers. This area is prime for practicing rock climbing skills.

Bouldering is fun because it is a fairly tough workout and it doesn't require a great deal of skill. Be careful that you don't get in too far over your head. If you aren't a trained rock climber, don't climb up what you can't scramble down. That being said, have a ball! The kids and I climbed up and around and all over the rocks. The views are terrific as you get up high.

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