COLORADO SPRINGS — In our exclusive new series Adventures with Alan, we'll travel across Southern Colorado week-by-week to show you thrills and chills, hidden gems and well-known spots.
Hiking is one of the best things about living in Southern Colorado.
It's a great way to explore the great outdoors, while being surrounded by nature and stunning scenery.
Over the next few months, I plan to take full advantage of the warmer weather by exploring all of the wonderful hikes in our area.
Our adventure this week takes us to Pulpit Rock Park in Colorado Springs.
The perimeter trail that surrounds Pulpit Rock is nice and easy.
It's wide open and well maintained, with some small elevation changes.
Our hike starts out on the perimeter trail and after a few days of rain and snow, we pass other hikers eager to take advantage of the nicer weather.
We pause a few times to soak in the scenery, which offers spectacular views of the mountains to our west.
Hiking after all isn't just about the end goal, it's about the journey.
The weather when we visit is a little cool, but nothing to complain about.
For a hike at Pulpit Rock, you should know that the trail system becomes more difficult as you climb above the perimeter trail.
It gets steeper and splinters off in many directions, which can be confusing.
For first-timers, I recommend a GPS based hiking app, like AllTrails.
Here's a tip...I've also done this hike from the south parking lot and have found that route a little easier to follow.
Regardless of your starting point, steeper sections near the top may require some scrambling.
It's nothing too difficult to navigate, but more on the moderate side compared to the lower portions of Pulpit Rock.
Forty-five minutes after leaving the north parking lot, we've made it to the summit.
The top of Pulpit Rock is more than 6,500 feet above sea level, and offers sweeping views in almost every direction.
It's one of the reasons that this hike is so popular!
After a few minutes on the summit, the trip back down is pretty easy.
I recommend hiking shoes to keep your grip on the steeper pitches.
It's also important on any hike to stay hydrated, bring snacks, a charged cell phone, and different layers of clothing.
After all, this is Southern Colorado and our weather can change very quickly.
With warmer weather ahead, I look forward to exploring more of Southern Colorado's best hiking trails, but I need your help!
Email me your favorite hike at Alan.Rose@koaa.com so that I can cross some new ones off of my list.
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