General Info
Visitors please note that work is being done on multiple trails in North Cheyenne Cañon park.
Ice and wintery conditions may exist in North Cheyenne Canon Park.
*Roads are often icy on snow days, so use extreme caution when navigating the park*
North Cheyenne Cañon Park is located on the southwest side of Colorado Springs. North Cheyenne Cañon Park is cut 1,000-feet deep into the 1.5 billion-year-old granite rock. This 1,600-acre park provides good habitat for large animals such as the Black Bear, Mountain Lion and Mule Deer, and little birds that love water, like the Kingfisher, American Dipper and Broad-tailed Hummingbird.
North Cheyenne Creek runs along the bottom of the canyon. Visitors can drive, hike and bike from the entrance of the canyon up to Helen Hunt Falls. Beyond Helen Hunt Falls, North Cheyenne Canyon Road continues until it reaches Gold Camp Road. There is a large parking area where bikers, hikers and runners can access additional trails.
Park Hours
5 a.m. – 10 p.m. (May 1 – October 31)
Gates are locked each evening upon park closure at North Cheyenne Cañon Road near the Starsmore Nature and Visitor Center and at the North end of Gold Camp Rd. at the park boundary.. The nightly gating follows recommendations within the North Cheyenne Cañon Park Master Plan, which was adopted by the Parks, Recreation and Cultural Services Advisory Board in May 2018.
Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center Hours
Please call (719) 385-6086 for more information
Address: 2120 S Cheyenne Canon Rd. 80906
Helen Hunt Falls Visitor Center Hours
Open Seasonally: Memorial Day to Labor Day, Daily 8am - 4pm
Please call (719) 633-5701 for more information.
Address: 3440 N Cheyenne Canon Rd. 80906
Amenities
- An extensive trail system open to hikers, bikers and runners. Dogs are allowed and must be leashed.
- Picnic areas
- Two visitor centers. Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center is located at the entrance to the park. The Helen Hunt Falls visitor center is located near the base of the falls.
- Portable toilets are located at Helen Hunt Falls.
- Rock Climbing – permit required
Each year, more than 450,000 people visit this unique City of Colorado Springs park property. Access to this park is a gift to all of our citizens and visitors.
Park Maps
Park Brochure
Master Plan
The master plan for North Cheyenne Cañon Park has been updated. To find out more, go to https://coloradosprings.gov/NCCMasterPlan
Follow North Cheyenne Cañon on Facebook
Leave No Trace
Follow the Leave No Trace Seven Principles
The City of Colorado Springs Parks, Recreation & Cultural Services department is proudly partnered with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics in order to promote environmental stewardship and safeguard the natural, cultural, and historical resources that make Colorado Springs such a fantastic place to live and visit. Follow the Leave No Trace Seven Principles to help keep our parks, trails, and open spaces healthy and sustainable. Learn more at lnt.org
| Plan ahead and prepare. Plan ahead and prepare. With changing elevations, remote trails, and no cell phone service in the canyon, North Cheyenne Cañon is a perfect mountain experience close to the city. Checking the forecast, planning your route, packing food and water, reading posted rules, and snapping a pic of the map will help prepare you for your North Cheyenne Cañon adventure. |
| Travel on durable surfaces. Stay on designated trails to minimize Pikes Peak granite erosion. Muddy trails? Hike right through them! North Cheyenne Cañon’s vegetation helps secure the canyon-sides; trampled vegetation takes a long time to grow back and will lead to trail stability issues! |
| Dispose of waste properly. Please pack out all trash items, including bagged dog waste and food scraps, or place it into trash cans before leaving the park. |
| Leave what you find. From pinecones to cool rocks, North Cheyenne Cañon is full of fascinating features! Take a picture of what you find and leave it for others to enjoy! |
| Be careful with fire. Don’t get burned: fires, charcoal grilling, and smoking are prohibited in North Cheyenne Cañon. Flame and dry forest deadfall are not a good combination. Help us protect the park from wildfires. |
| Respect wildlife. From our smallest hummingbirds to chipmunks, mule deer, and black bears, many animals call North Cheyenne Cañon home! Please observe all wildlife from safe distances and never feed them. Keeping your pet on a leash protects everyone who uses, and lives in, the park. |
| Be considerate of others. North Cheyenne Cañon has so much for everyone to enjoy! Remember to be courteous to other users, like equestrians, climbers, or sightseers. Let’s encourage a respectful community of users! |
Trail Descriptions
Park Maps
Columbine Trail
Length: About 4 miles from the Starsmore Discovery Center to the Upper Columbine trailhead
Elevation: Lower Columbine trailhead 6250', Mid Columbine trailhead 6500', Upper Columbine trailhead 7300'
General Description: This trail makes its way up the Canon from behind the Starsmore Discovery Center to the Upper Columbine trailhead near Helen Hunt Falls. The Mid Columbine trailhead is about 1 mile up the road from the main park gate by the Starsmore Discovery Center. The Upper Columbine trailhead is about 350' east of Helen Hunt Falls. Hikers, cyclists and equestrians can use this trail.
Daniels Pass Trail System
As of Nov. 12, 2021, there’s nearly 7 miles of new trail now open in North Cheyenne Cañon Park – known as the Daniels Pass Trail System. The new trails are bidirectional and open to non-motorized, multi-recreational users, with the exception of the two short hiking-only trails noted below.
- Daniels Pass Trail: 2.00 miles
- Sweetwater Canyon Trail: 3.07 miles
- Middle Sweetwater Trail: 0.42 miles
- Bruin Trail: 0.62 miles
- Mt. Muscoco Trail (Hiking Only): 0.33 miles
- Greenwood Path (Hiking Only): 0.18 miles
The new trails will take some time to wear-in, and with the unseasonably warm and dry weather, some sections are loose. Please go easy as you get to know the new routes, and use caution. A few finishing touches are also being made through the end of the year, including the addition of onsite trail maps.
Mt. Cutler Trail
- Length: About 1.1 miles from the trailhead to the overlook just east of the top of Mt. Cutler
- Elevation: Trailhead 6785', highest point by the top of Mt. Cutler 7200', overlook 7050'
- General Description: The trailhead is on the south side of the road, about 1.5 miles up the road from the main park gate by the Starsmore Discovery Center. Hikers only.
Silver Cascade Falls Trail
- Length: About .3 miles from the Helen Hunt Falls Visitor Center to the top of the Silver Cascade Falls
- Elevation: Trailhead 7225', top of Silver Cascade Falls 7400'
- General Description: Park in front of the Helen Hunt Falls Visitor Center, hike over Helen Hunt Falls and continue along the trail. For your safety, please DO NOT hike beyond the plaza area to the closed-off portion of Gold Camp Rd.
Spring Creek Trail
This is a connecting trail.
- Length: Trail itself, approximately .72 miles each way between Mid Columbine and Lower Gold Camp Road. The trailhead on Mid Columbine Trail is 1.68 miles from Starsmore Discovery Center, .68 miles from Mid Columbine trailhead, and 2.31 miles from Upper Columbine trailhead. The Lower Gold Camp Road trailhead is across from Captain Jack's Trail parking lot at the east end of Tunnel #1.
- Elevation Gain: Approximately 175' (Spring Creek Trail only)
- General Description: This trail serves as a connecting trail between Gold Camp Road/Captain Jack's Trail and the Columbine Trail. It is open to hikers and cyclists only.
Captain Jack's Trail
(1.2 miles in park; 2.25 miles in Pike National Forest)
- Length: About 2.55 miles from the trailhead to the top of High Drive, about .9 miles from the top of High Drive to a saddle behind Mt. Buckhorn
- Elevation: Trailhead 7200', top of High Dr 7900', saddle behind Mt. Buckhorn 8200'
- General Description: The trailhead is directly east of Tunnel #1 at the multi-use trail sign. The Captain Jacks Trail system is a multi-use system that allows hikers, bicyclists, equestrians, and motorcycles. For those who are up for a real challenge, the Captain Jacks Trail joins with the Jones Park Trail at the saddle behind Mt. Buckhorn, and the trail continues for another 2.4 miles to Jones Park.
The Chutes Trail
- Length: About 1.1 miles from the top of Gold Camp Rd. to the Chamberlain Ridgeway Spur between the reservoirs.
- Elevation: Trailhead 6950', Chamberlain Ridgeway Spur between reservoirs 6500'
- General Description: This trail can be accessed from Stratton Open Space at the Ridgeway trailhead or at the La Veta trailhead. You can also reach the Chutes trail off of Gold Camp Road. Go past the Section 16 trailhead parking area and most of the houses. Look for the large rock with the pine tree growing out of it on the left. Beginning at the parking area on Gold Camp Rd., the Chutes is a popular trail for cyclists because of it’s winding curves and fairly fast descent. Once at the reservoirs, there are several developed trails through the Stratton Open Space that can be accessed easily. Suggested bicycle use only; hikers refer to Gold Camp Path (Stratton Open Space Trails).
St. Mary’s Falls is a U.S. Forest Service Trail. For more information, please go to the St. Mary's Falls U.S. Forest Service page.
Seven Bridges is a U.S. Forest Service Trail. For more information, please go to the Seven Bridges U.S. Forest Service page.