Type: Trail, Loop/Out-and-back
Difficulty: 6 / 10
Altitude: 7,030 ft
Elev. Gain/Loss: 1,310 ft / 1,310 ft
Dog Friendly: Yes, with leash
Jog-Stroller Friendly: Unknown
Filed Under: Hiking, Running
Waldo Canyon is one of the most popular trails in Colorado Springs, for running, hiking, biking, and sightseeing. It has moderate grades, views of both city and mountains, cool dark forest, and (mostly) good running surfaces. Much of the trail faces south, making for reasonable conditions year round.
The trail runs up and across a ridge into Waldo Canyon, and reaches the loop start at 1.69 miles. The loop is 3.45 miles long and described in detail below.
Run description compiled from web sources and the Incline Club website.
The Waldo Canyon trail begins at a well-marked trailhead on the north side of Highway 24, about two miles west of Manitou Springs. The parking lot fills up quickly most weekend days.
The trail itself begins with some switchbacks and stairs, and soon straightens out to traverse eastward along the south-facing hillside, quickly climbing away from the noise of the highway.
It winds in and out of some ravines, crossing over a ridge into Waldo Canyon proper after about 1 mile. At this ridgeline, an obscure trail heads straight up the hill for a connection to Cascade (denoted by a dotted line on the maps, running up the ridgeline left). The trail descends and rolls gently into the bottom of Waldo Canyon where you will find a nice meadow followed shortly by the start of the loop trail.
The loop begins at a sign indicating the 3.5 mile loop running either direction. In winter it is preferable to go clockwise (stay left of the sign) because there is often ice in the canyon bottom. If you want the shortest route possible to the Williams Canyon ?Bail Trail,? go right instead (you won?t encounter the icy section for this route). (The 3-mile Bail Trail down Williams Canyon puts you back into Manitou Springs, 2 miles from the Waldo parking area - be aware.)
The trail follows the creek up Waldo Canyon, crossing it 5 times. It is always in forest which provides a welcome respite on hot days. About 120 meters after the fifth crossing (you?re on the right side of the creek now as you head upstream), it takes a sharp switchback to the right. There are a few stairs here and usually a sign to keep you on track. However many have still missed this turn and continued upstream! If you continue on the wrong trail you will eventually pop out on Rampart Range Road or you can connect into the trail that goes to Cascade.
The trail ascends out of the canyon bottom, making one more sharp switchback to the left (you?ll know if you miss this one because you?ll squeeze between a couple of boulders and find yourself suddenly looking out over the treetops). A nice level section is followed by another creek crossing.
About 3/4 mile after the creek, the trail reaches a forested pass and begins to descend. This is the high point of the trail. It takes a right turn in the forest and quickly breaks out into open country. The footing deteriorates here due to limestone chunks ? stay alert!
A switchback leads to a long descending traverse across a south-facing hillside to a ridge. You?ll know you?ve reached this ridge because the footing gets really abysmal on deep red sandstone chunks. As you descend this ridgeline, watch for the switchback toward the right down into the next valley. There is sometimes a small cairn here marking the obscure ?Bail Trail? down into Williams Canyon.
(For those who are taking the direct counter-clockwise direction on the loop to reach the ?Bail Trail,? note that the above ridge is the second ridge you encounter not the first after your initial climb. There is a prominent (1/4 mile) descent and climb between the two ridges.)
If you stay with the Waldo trail, you will descend into a small valley, then face a 1/4 mile climb up to the next ridge. From there it is all downhill through a series of 9 switchbacks to the bottom of Waldo Canyon and the sign marking the start of the loop trail.
To get back to the car, turn left (south) at the loop trail sign to return to highway 24.
Posted by: tradkelly and last modified on Feb 02, 2006 by thoos
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