Ute Pass Trail Loop- Manitou Springs

We found ourselves in Colorado Springs with many Trailheads washed out from the recent rains. We decided to head to the Manitou Incline to check it out. Instead of doing the incline, there is an alternate trail loop called the Ute Pass Trail. Part of this was actually used by the Utes up until 1912.  We parked near the Cog Railway station which is the same place to hike the incline. There are parking spaces on the side of the road for $5 if you can find someone leaving. We were lucky. There is a parking lot for the Cog Railroad only. Not sure how they know where you are going but most folks are not dressed in hiking attire to head to the top of Pikes Peak. The photo above is the gravel trail heading to the beginning of the incline or the Ute Pass. There is a detailed map you can see where you are going.

This is the scenery at the beginning of the hike. There are many hills and crevices and we soon lost sight of the incline as we headed up the trail. It is a steep climb up at times.

There were nice rock formations along the way.

We really had the trail to ourselves only seeing one runner the whole time. The climate was very dry desertlike with lots of cactus in the beginning.

Here we could see a view of Manitou Springs. Across the road we could see the cave of the winds entrance.

The Ute Pass is a natural portal from the great plains through the Rocky Mountains.  Its formation allowed travel between mountain vistas, alpine plateaus, and prairie grasslands.  It was the buffalo's chosen path to graze the high mountain meadows in the summer.

We soon leveled off and turned a corner to another setting of wooded trees, moss and moisture. We kept passing aqueducts that were running through here.

One of the water pipes.

We soon started to lose our way on the trail. It seemed to go different ways. We headed right toward the direction we started.

The trail turned back into Pines and dry grasses.

We kept passing this water system.

We soon saw a marker for Rattlesnake Gulch which was on the trail map we saw. It was supposed to be very steep but decided to give it a go. This was the original trail the Indians used. The first recorded wagon headed for the gold fields were pulled by oxen up this steep slope in 1859. At times as many as twelve teams of oxen were used to haul up a single wagon up. I was glad we were heading down.   We seemed so far away from our trailhead but in about 20 minutes the town came into view. We walked through the end of the trail through a housing development and finally back to our car. I think the total was about 5-6 miles round trip. It was very hot since we got started later than we wanted. Back to the car we stopped into the Cog railroad snack shop for an ice cream.  It was a fun hike not quite as strenuous as the incline. A good option but next time I want to do the incline.