Air Force Academy Trails - More than 30 miles of single-track trails through the Air Force Academy and Farish Recreation Area for hiking, running, mountain biking and equestrian use. Trails on the west side of the base connect to an extensive network of Pike National Forestrails that travel through the Rampart Range area. El Paso County's New Santa Fe Trail runs parallel to Interstate 25 and Monument Creek for 7 miles east of the base, connecting the Tri-Lakes area (Palmer Lake, Woodmoor, Monument) and northern Colorado Springs for recreation and travel.
A large-scale map of the trail system is shown here, with information provided below for specific trails. Map kiosks are located at the trail heads and also along the Falcon Trail. TheHikingProject.com or Mountain Biking Project.com websites and mobile apps are useful for downloading maps and other information for each trail.
Air Force Academy Trails
Public access to Air Force Academy trails and trailheads varies and may be restricted due to force protection status and random base security measures. The Farish Recreation Area is not open to the public; Trails are available to registered patrons only.
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Cyclists must wear a helmet and ride at a speed appropriate for trail conditions and the safety of other users. Trail users are encouraged to recreate with a partner or team.
The use of earbuds or headphones is strictly prohibited on the trails due to the possibility of encountering dangerous wildlife such as black bears, mountain lions, coyotes and rattlesnakes. Be aware of your surroundings at all times; Precautions for wildlife, trail hazards and other users.
Save the sidewalk! Wet or muddy trails should be avoided to avoid unnecessary wear and tear. If you are leaving deep shoe, tire or hoof impressions, please find a drier section or recreate at a later date. Moving off-trail to avoid wet and muddy areas destroys soil and vegetation and creates undesirable "rogue" trails.
The Falcon Trail travels through a variety of terrain and natural habitats, providing abundant opportunities to view the wildlife and scenic views of the Air Force Academy grounds, the Rampart Range, and eastern El Paso County. The cycling route is generally considered less strenuous. The 0.7 mile Falcon Spur Trail begins near the Northgate B-52 display and youth camping area and connects to the maintrail south of the cemetery. Parking is recommended at the B-52 display, Falcon Stadium North Lot and Chapel Overlook on Academy Drive. Port-a-johns, trash cans and picnic tables line the trail; Drinking water is available only in the community center area.
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The Stanley Reservoir hike on the Stanley CanyonTrail is one of the most popular hikes in the Rampart Range and Pike National Forest. The trail begins steeply through pine/oak and spruce/fir forest and then climbs gradually along the Stanley Creek riparian area. Aspen and mountain meadows are found near the final approach to the reservoir. Colorado Springs Utilities prohibits camping and open fires around the lake, but allows camping on adjacent US Forest Service land. Parking and a port-a-john are available at the trailhead. Due to state engineer concerns over the dam's integrity and safety, Colorado Springs Utilities emptied Stanley Reservoir in 2017 and has no plans to refill it.
The West Monument Creek Trail Hike offers a slow ascent of the Rampart Range from the Air Force Academy. Parking is recommended at the small dirt pullout on West Monument Creekroad just east of the gated entrance to the Colorado Springs Utilities (CSU) watertreatment facility. A short walk on an unpaved road from the parking area leads to the intersection with West Monument Creek and the Falcon Trail. A trail leading southwest from the kiosk in a meadow leads to the academy boundary and into the CSU facility. Signs on paved roads direct hikers past the water treatment plant and onto a single-track trail in the Pike National Forest. BlodgettPeak (9426') and forest burned by the June 2012 Waldo Canyon Fire are visible from the trail. Birders occasionally see golden eagles, prairie falcons and peregrine falcons soaring above the ridges and valleys. East of Northfield Reservoir, TR 713 turns north to Stanley Reservoir and sometimes obscures TR 722. A connection to TR 722 provides a loop option back to the parking area via the Stanley Canyon Trail and the Falcon Trail.
North Peak (9368'), marked "Eagle Peak" on USGS maps, and much of the Eagle Peak Trail are in the Pike National Forest. The trail begins near the western border of the academy, but it is not officially marked by the US Forest Service and does not receive regular maintenance. Therefore, it is important for hikers to stay on established trails to avoid further damage to soil, vegetation, and wetlands. The trail climbs steeply (average 25% grade) with a 2000' elevation gain through dense spruce-fir forest along Goat Camp Creek Tone open, rocky summit, with spectacular views of the Front Range, Air Force Academy campus, East Plains, Pikes Peak. Tarreal Mountains. On clear days, downtown Denver and Denver International Airport are often visible to the north. Parking at the Visitor Center is recommended; And it's only a 0.3 mile walk to the Pavilion Road totrailhead kiosk.
Beware! People climbing Northpeak's summit and face or hiking from the trail have been seriously injured and killed. Air Force Academy cadets are forbidden by the Commandant of Cadets from steep exposure of the North Peak.
United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs
El Paso County's New Santa Fe Trail facility parallels Interstate 25 and Monument Creek about seven miles east of the Air Force Academy, connecting the Tri-Lakes region (Palmer Lake, Woodmoor, Monument) and northern Colorado Springs. Portions of the trail follow the historic Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, which was in service from 1887 to 1971. Wide, gravel trails offer panoramic views of the Rampart Range and the Air Force Academy grounds and section along Monument Creek. Through some of the best riparian habitat left in the region. Parking is recommended in the county lot outside the Northgate entrance (Exit 156). Parking at the Ice Lake trailhead is not advisable, as trains often block parking for several hours or longer.
All Farish Recreation Area hiking and mountain biking trails depart west of SapphireLake and enter the backcountry. Click here for a map.
Winding through mountain ridges and mixed forests of pine, fir, aspen and spruce, the Peakview Trail offers stunning views of the Forest Recreation Area backcountry and Pikes Peak. Although attractive, please do not cross the environmentally sensitive wet meadow to connect with other routes.
The Bull Pen Springs Trail goes east on the Flatland Trail for 0.2 miles and quickly turns south on Schubarth Road (FS 307). This obscure, well-manicured plant leads you gently through a rugged mountain meadow, past the remains of an old ranch near the southern junction of the Middle Ridge Trail.
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Emerging from Sapphire Lake, the Flatland Trail provides easy access to other connecting routes to explore the farish backcountry. At 0.7 miles the main trail leads to Flatland Trail North or Flatland Trail South, both of which end at Schubarth Road (FS 307) after another 0.4 to 0.5 miles. Follow Schubarth Road east of the Bull Penn Springs Trail for a scenic loop back to the Farish facility.
Departing from the center or north of the Bull Pen Springs Trail, the Middle Ridge Trail gradually ascends to a ridgeline of spruce, fir and aspen. I hesitate to post this. However, it is a unique and beautiful trail so I want to show it to anyone who is interested. When I was living in Colorado Springs for the winter, I found the Air Force Academy to be a great resource; I'm at a farmcamp (RV park) which is great with all the plugins. I've only recently started cycling on base roads as the main drag has wide shoulders and other roads have less traffic on weekdays. I (and my daughter) used the mini incline, which has 300 steps. I can climb over 2000 feet with 11 transits. I hiked the Stanley Canyon Trail to the now empty Stanley Reservoir. And finally, there's the Falcon Trail, which is listed as a 13 miler, but Strava consistently puts my hikes at 13.4 miles with 1400 feet of climbing. I mainly saw mountain bikers on this trail but careful selection of weekdays and weather meant I saw very few people in my transport. As a retired Air Force, I have access to the base during COVID; General public access is temporarily suspended, so no people. When my daughter and I did the Falcon Trail during her visit here, we saw some hikers and some bikers going through the 13 miles. In short, the Academy proves to be a great and enjoyable outdoor playground and covers most of the exercise and training options I want. Bonus: the weather has proven to be quite different in the PNW so far; Most of the days are sunny and the cold is easy to deal with. But most of the time I'm running or hiking when the temperature is in the 50s.
During one of my Falcon Trail jaunts (November 27, 2020) I recorded various parts of the trail to see how the new GoPro Hero 9 would perform. Most of the videos in this OFF TRAIL section were recorded on the first iteration of GoPro software stabilization, the Hero 7. I'm ashamed to say that my Hero 8 disappeared into the bowels under the seat in my Solis; The camera was there when I raised the seat to access the storage tray and sent the Hero 8
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