Heizer to Barr Trail Loop

This is a very hard climb.  The first two miles are rough.  you will be carrying your bike for at least a quarter of the first two miles and half of the left leg of the loop.  It's either too hard scrabble, or too steep.  Once at the top however, it's a pretty fun experience.  There are a couple of ways to do this ride.  The most common is to take 638 right and do an out and back to Barr Trail.  I recommend this route for most people.  Do not try to do the loop this direction your first time.  You will never find the very overgrown trail 703 back to Heizer.  The best way for the loop is to take 703 left.

Getting There

• Take HWY 24 from Colorado Springs to Cascade Colorado.
• Take a left on Fountain Ave.  You can park across from Wines of Colorado or at the park on Emporia.  Parking is very limited and full by 6 a.m. in summer.
• NOTE:  DO NOT PARK IN THE WINES OF COLORADO LOT OR BEYOND THE CITY PARK IN CASCADE.  It is clearly marked where you can park.  If you park on the private road you will be towed.  Not might...WILL.  If you are only towed you will be lucky.  Most folks pick up their cars without ANY glass in ANY windows, tires that inflate, or most of their interior.   No one will be there to witness the damage, and no one, especially the local police will care.  You've been warned.  Be respectful.  This trail runs through private property.  If you're not respectful...well...then it's your own fault.

Trail Description

If you start across from Wines of Colorado, ride up the hill to your first left on Emporia.  It's the road right behind the restaurant.  From here go left and ride up Anemone Hill Road.  This will take you to the Heizer Trailhead.  The road is marked on where to find the trail.

Once on the trail the first mile and a half is relatively easy.  After that, not so much.  You will carry your bike and it will get sketchy in parts, especially on the way back down.  Once over the top of the ridge at 2.5 miles you take a mile long downhill to where the trail T's.  Take the left on 703 if you plan to do the loop.  You will not find the trail head back to 703 if you do not.  Take my word.

703 till take you down about a mile to a creek crossing.  There you will go right to a larger creek crossing where you will have to portage across.  There's a huge boulder in the middle that blocks sight of where the trail picks up.  Once in that valley you start climbing.  Most of the trail is overgrown, but in good shape.  You will have sections that will be technical and very steep.  You will walk your bike.  Keep in mind if you get hurt back there it might be where you remain the rest of your life, so take food and friends.  There's no cell signal back there.

Once you climb out of 703 after a couple of miles you come out on Longs Ranch Road.  Take a right (left will definitely kill you (It drops you on HWY 27...there is not a shoulder and people can't drive).  After going right you will climb for about a mile or so to Barr Trail.  There you go right.  Once on Barr trail you will have an easy climb to 638.

The trail for 638 is right across from a large metal sign that tells you you are 2.5 miles from the top of the Incline and 7.5 miles from the top of Pikes Peak.  Take the right off Barr and head down the sketchy descent to the same wet valley you left when you were on 703.  You won't be there long.  Once you cross the stream on the other side of the marsh, you will climb out and begin your descent back to the intersection of 703 and 638.

Once you reach the T intersection again, go left and you have a mile climb back to the top of Heizer.

This is where it gets interesting...

Heizer is steep with 30% grades in spots.  That's STEEP!  Be prepared to dismount as there are hikers coming up and they are not required to move over for you, and in many cases can't without getting injured or dying.  You must have good balance and handling skills to ride this trail.  When I mark a trail as BLACK...I mean it!

Good luck!