  |
|
|
|
Introduction
Trail Rating
What to Bring Plenty of water, good shoes, and your sense of humor. The rocks on this trail seem to reach out and grab your shins. The trail can be difficult to follow in only a few places, and you will find yourself clambering over some pretty large boulders while you try to find the trail again. Luckily, this trail is steep and hard and lots of people are on this trail all the time. Generally, you can follow someone and you won't get off the trail. How to Get There From I-25, exit the south entrance to the Air Force Academy. Drive approximately 2 miles west and turn left onto Pine Drive. Follow Pine Drive approximately 5 miles, passing Community Center Drive. The road will ascend a hill and at the top of the rise you will see a gravel road heading left. Take this gravel road a short distance to the trailhead. The trailhead is pretty obvious, but occasionally it is difficult to locate a place to park. In that case, find a way to turn around and park on the side of the road somewhere. Trail Specifics Caution: this trail is on Air Force Academy grounds, and you are subject to their rules. You will see the guard house on your way in. Watch your speed limit and keep on the trail, and you will be fine. The Stanley Canyon trail to the lake is only about 2.0 miles and after the first hard mile, it is a pretty stroll through meadows. This trail can be hiked in almost any season, but plan for the afternoon weather for which Colorado is famous. In other words, bring a jacket for the rain and thunderstorms in the summer and for the snow in the winter. In either season, bring plenty of water because if you haven't figured it out yet, Colorado is very dry. A creek runs along the trail and the trail can be very rocky and steep. In the winter, the trail can get slippery with ice and snow, but I've done it in the winter and the view of the frozen creek over the rocks is very beautiful. In the winter, it is slightly less traveled except by the Air Force Academy Cadets. In the summer, the trail is very well traveled. Go To Page: 1 2
The copyright of the article Stanley Canyon in Hiking in Colorado is owned by . Permission to republish Stanley Canyon in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
|
|
|
|
