Crags Trail Colorado Hike Guide

April 4, 2022 The Virtual Sherpa Comments 0 Comment

Crags Trail is a popular out and back hike located on the Northwest side of 14er Pikes Peak near Divide, Colorado. A crag is just a series of rugged rocks or cliffs and these red ones are the backdrop of a beautiful scene at the top of this hike. Crags Trail is popular year round and is a great option for families and beginner hikers. This is one of the best hikes located around the Colorado Springs area. This hike is also great for dogs.

Crags Trail Quick Facts

Crags Trail Rating: ★★★★ (⅘ Stars)

Distance: 5.0 Miles RT – Add 2.4 Miles RT in Winter Months

Elevation Start: 9,993ft

Highest Elevation:10,814ft

Total Elevation Gain: 950ft

Estimated Time to Complete: 2-3 Hours

Difficulty: Easy to Moderate What does this mean?

Class: Class 1 – What does this mean?

Season: Year Round – Expect Longer Hiking in Winter

Check the Weather Forecast

Directions to Crags Trail

Trailhead: Crags Trailhead

Getting Here: Take U.S. 24 to Divide, turn south onto Colorado 67 and drive 4.1 miles. Near a ranch, turn left onto a dirt road and follow it 3.0 miles to the trailhead. This dirt road is usually in pretty good shape and is maintained during winter months. As you get closer to the TH, there is a right you need to bare right, but it’s pretty obvious where you need to go. In the winter, this is where the road is closed. In the Summer, continue another 1.2 miles to a signed parking lot and the trail starts on the southern left side with a marked TH.

Parking: This hike has a relatively large parking lot that can fit 30-40 cars or so. However, since this hike is very popular, the lot will likely fill up on busy weekends. If you can’t fit in the lot, you can drive up to Crags Campground OR park at the lower TH which both add distance to your hike. There are two non-plumbing bathrooms at the TH which do operate seasonally as well.

Fee: As of 2022, there is no fee for this hike.

Summary

Dogs: This is a dog friendly hike – as always, please pick up after your dog and keep them on a leash.

Camping: The biggest no-brainer camping spot would be Crags Campground, just up the road from the trailhead. If you wanted to camp in the backcountry, there are several spots you could easily do that as well. You would just need to hike in about a mile or so before finding good spots.

Make it a Loop: This is an out and back hike, but ambitious hikers could easily add on Devils Playground or even up to the summit of Pikes Peak. You can read more about this route of Pikes Peak here.

Trail X Factors: Sneaky Elevation Gain

If you are looking at the elevation gain for Crags Trail, 950ft may seem like a lot. However, when Juno and I hiked this one, I was pretty shocked when I looked at my watch to see how many feet we had climbed in just 2.5 miles. The trail really feels mostly flat once you climb out of the initial gully near the start.

Hike Tip(s): When hiking Crags Trail, many hikers might be tempted to turn around before the end. However, I can tell you that the payoff on this hike is on the top viewpoint. The views down into Divide, over to Pikes Peak and on a clear day into the Collegiate Peaks and up towards the Front Range mountains are just fantastic. Take a lunch or snack and enjoy your time up on this beautiful view point.

Best Views: See above, the best views on this hike area at the top. Having a clear day makes the payoff even better.

Crags Trail Hike Route

Download GPX File

Gear Needed

Men’s Trail Runners
Women’s Trail Runners
La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Women’s)
Backpack
Food & Water
Protection from the Sun
Map of Area
Optional: Garmin inReach
Optional: Hiking Poles
Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
Optional: Camera and Lens
Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod
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My Trip to Crags Trail: December 2021

If you have been reading my site or watching my videos for any amount of time, you know that hiking in the winter is not really my jam. However, you may also know that I own a crazy husky Juno who needs to exercise or she will let her parents know! My original plan was for a much larger hike, but cold temperatures and high winds changed my plans and brought us down to Crags Trail which had been on my list forever.

Juno and I arrived at the TH around 9AM on a Saturday morning and there was plenty of room left in the upper lot, which I was surprised we could still get to. That is what a low snow start to the season will do for you! The hike was straightforward and offered fantastic views on the top which we soaked up for a while before the winds pushed us back to the car. Overall, the hike was not crowded until we were heading back to the car where we passed several groups. If you are visiting or live in the Colorado Springs area, I would highly recommend this hike, it is a sneaky good one that is not very difficult at all and can be hiked year round.