Gold Camp Road

[boudreaux]

Planning to ride this road today, where is a good place to start? Want to ride to Old Stage Rd and back! Would like to start from Bear Creek Park, but another TH would be nice. Does High Dr connect with Gold Camp? Thanks in advance!

[Tory Wells]

When I did it a few years ago, I parked near the junction of Gold Camp Rd and Bear Creek Rd and started my ride from there. There are/were some spots there, assuming they're still there. Otherwise, just park wherever you can find parking. Looks like there's a shopping center/apartment complex just before on Lower Gold Camp you could park in if you had to.

[boudreaux]

That works for me, thanks!

[cbrobin]

Gold Camp does connect with Old stage about eight miles past it's closure. A nice ride would be to start at the "four way" where Gold Camp Road becomes the trail and ride to Old Stage and back. You can start further down in Stratton Open Space to give yourself a longer ride. You could make it a loop easier from there. Have fun.

[boudreaux]

What I did was park at Bear Creek Rd and Lower Gold Camp. Grinded way up the gravel on High Dr, there's only a narrow line where everyone rides, get off that, which I did frequently and your in gravel hell! Then rode about a half mile beyond tunnel 4 when the thunder finally threatened and then it was a short 10 mile ride back down the entire Gold Camp Rd. Those tunnels really are dark, fascinating railroad grade! Will have to try it again soon!

[Tory Wells]

That gravel is no joke. Pikes Peak granite has become my least favorite trail surface out there. It really made me appreciate the relatively good trails we get to enjoy around the Metro area.

[boudreaux]

YEP, that granite is a nightmare! Even on the Gold Camp, lots of gravel. The local hikers walk side by side, blocking the good line on the road forcing you into the deep gravel. Even at 20 mph, the gravel sucks you in deep.

I did see a spur trail beyond tunnel 4 that may loop back to lower Old Stage Rd. Maybe that could be the next adventure. Park in N Cheyenne Canon, ride up, loop around on GC, down this spur, back to the canon.

[michelle]

After looking at the map, that trail by tunnel 4 might be the Spring Creek trail which connects to the Columbine Trail right between Mid Columbine Trail head and Upper Columbine Trail head. The Columbine Trail is a fairly popular trail ride. Fairly steep in some areas. The Columbine Trail connects to Gold Camp road at a "high point" on the trail.

[boudreaux]

So where does the Columbine Trail go? Can I get a trail map at the REI in CS or at a local bike shop? I was looking on a topo map online and it shows a road from tunnel 4 going around the end of the ridge to Old Stage Rd. I'm assuming this old road is abandoned now and maybe parts of it are in this trail system?

[michelle]

The Columbine Trail parallels the canyon from the entrance up to Helen Hunt Falls. Below is a link to maps

http://cheyennecanon.org/trails-in-nort ... anon-park/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


http://cheyennecanon.org/wp-content/upl ... ratton.pdf" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Edit: I was incorrect about the Spring Creek trail being located by tunnel 4. Apologies.

[Dean82]

Go to REI or Mountain Chalet and get the Pikes Peak Atlas

[boudreaux]

Thanks for the info. I'm still looking at something called Sweetwater Rd past tunnel 4. Anyone know this road? Anyone ever ride up Rock Creek Rd (FR369)?