Hiking – Spruce Mountain Trail

Join us for a Sunday morning hike, bring your dog if you’d like. 

Meet at the trailhead at 8am for a 8:10am departure. We should be back at the trailhead in 3 hours, depending on the group’s hiking speed.  

We will be following this trail in Alltrails: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/spruce-mountain-trail

Just east of the Rampart Range section of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains the plains limestone buttes rise randomly across the plains. One of the largest of these rocky islands is Spruce Mountain, situated west of I-25 and north of the small town of Palmer Lake, CO. Spruce Mtn. provides a delightful opportunity to enjoy views of Pikes Peak, Rampart Range, the Greenland Open Space, and the Palmer Divide.

Douglas County has provided and excellent trailhead which includes a toilet. From the trailhead you can ascend to the top of the butte by a long shallow trail or by a short steep trail. The longer trail adds about a half mile to your hike. On the top of the butte is a shaded loop trail that allows for a tranquil walk among pine and fir groves. Punctuating the stillness, in the spring and summer, is a riot of wildflowers. The trail eventually takes you to Windy Point, where you can look over the edge at the valley 200 ft below, or look out to the south and marvel at Pike's Peak.

Expect snowpack, ice and mud. Please do not forget to bring your micro spikes.

Notes to help you decide if this hike will be a good fit for your dog:

Dogs must be well-behaved, non-reactive and should be able to walk at a moderate pace for 3+ hours (though we allow plenty time to sniff and “mark”).  

Please make sure the you are able to provide all the water and snack that your dog might need while hiking for 3+ hours. 

We will practice Leave No Trace (LNT) with NO exceptions. If you don’t want to carry your dog’s poop with you, this is not the hike for you. Dogs must be leash at all times.

Lastly: It is always a good idea to have dog specific first aid supplies and a rescue harness in case your dog gets injured and you need to provide first aid and or carry them out. If you are not able to carry them out, please have a plan for rescue ahead of time (ex: carry satellite device and be prepared for pay K9 evacuation expenses in needed)

Meet at the Spruce Mountain Open Space Trailhead at 8am for a 8:10am departure.

Google maps link to the trailhead: https://maps.app.goo.gl/A3piV8BUT4ex3h2R6