We decided to hike a trail on the grounds of the Air Force Academy here in Colorado Springs. The Falcon Trail is a trail that we have never hiked before and it is a 13 mile loop, but we just did a few miles of it. Since we have had a rather wet summer, the wildflowers have been in full bloom and we enjoyed seeing quite a variety of them during our hike.
Beautiful DayMany Different WildflowersVibrant ColorsCrossing a Small StreamOrange Wildflowers
The trail takes you through a variety of terrain from open fields to wooded hills. It was a warm day, so we enjoyed getting into the shade of the trees. The trail is considered to be a moderate trail, but the portion of the trail that we hiked was fairly easy. It is certainly a popular trail with mountain bikers, so you have to keep your eye out in order to avoid getting in their way.
Purple WildflowerWalking along the TrailSo Many Different Types of WildflowersWalking Through the WildflowersThe Beginning of the Hike
It is definitely a trail that we will likely hike again. Not a lot of people go onto the grounds of the Academy to go hiking, so it is nice way to get away from the crowds and get into nature without having to drive very far from the city.
Tall WildflowerStream along the TrailGetting into the TreesSolo WildflowerFuzzy Wildflower
The weather was beautiful this weekend, so we decided to get up into the mountains and go for a hike. We drove to the quaint town of Green Mountain Falls to hike the Catamount Trail, which is a trail that we haven’t done before. You aren’t able to park on the road where the trail starts, so you have walk about a mile on a very steep road to reach the trailhead. Walking up the road was almost as hard as hiking on the trail itself.
TrailheadGorgeous Views along the TrailOne of the WaterfallsWildflowers are Starting to Bloom
The trail is considered to be moderate, but anytime you go hiking in the mountains, it is likely to be fairly difficult and this trail is no different. The entire trail is about three miles one way and the first two miles are steep switchbacks with a lot of rocky steps. At the start of the trail, there are a couple of wonderful waterfalls where you can stop and enjoy the beauty of nature. There is a reservoir at the end of the trail, but we didn’t make it all of the way to the end on this hike, but we will definitely return another time and complete the hike.
Looking Up Through the BranchesTree StumpAmazing ViewsHiking the Trail
The scenery was absolutely stunning, especially as you near the summit where you are rewarded with incredible views of the valley below. There isn’t much to the town of Green Mountain Falls, it is really just a community of homes for people who want to live in the mountains and don’t mind having to drive a ways to do their shopping. It must be a relaxing way to live, but we’re not sure that we would want to be that isolated.
More WildflowersAnother WaterfallRocky TerrainPerfect Weather
This was our first real hike of the season, so climbing the steep switchbacks took its toll on our legs and we decided to keep it to a two-hour hike and turned around after making it a little over the halfway point. For us, hiking is all about getting out into nature and getting some exercise, which made this a wonderful hike. Although it was our first time doing the Catamount Trail, it most certainly won’t be the last time we hike there.
Boulders along the TrailMoss Covered RocksRocks on the TrailGetting into NatureSteep TrailButterfly
The weather was absolutely beautiful this weekend so we took advantage of it to go on a short hike. This was our first time hiking the Red Rock Canyon Open Space, which is located between Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, and we thoroughly enjoyed the experience. The scenery is very much like that of Garden of the Gods park and there are plenty of interesting rock formations to see as you stroll along the trails.
Walking One of the TrailsBeautiful Rock FormationsDiversity along the TrailNot Just Red RocksJutting Rocks
The trails are not particularly difficult and there are plenty of families and people with dogs, but the park is spread out enough that despite large crowds it is still a tranquil experience. As we walked along the trails, we came across a group of volunteers who were spending their Sunday repairing the trails and adding steps along a portion of one of the trails. We stopped to take their picture for them and took one of them ourselves and thanked them for their volunteerism and hard work.
Volunteers on the TrailWildflowersRocky TrailBeautiful DayRugged Scenery
It is hard to believe that we have lived in Colorado Springs for over twenty years and yet had not gone hiking on these trails before. We will definitely return on future occasions to explore more of the open land space and enjoy all of the natural beauty. We live in such a beautiful place and are lucky to be able to go hiking in just a few minutes and be surrounded by such natural wonders.
Start of the TrailPikes Peak in the DistanceIt was a Wonderful HikeClear Blue SkiesGarden of the Gods in the Distance
