PALMER LAKE — In our exclusive series Keeping Up with Casey, we're hiking across Colorado each week to share trails and hikes of all kinds - well known favorites to under the radar wonders, with a focus on the history behind them and the people that make them what they are.
The Santa Fe Trail is a 17 mile converted rail trail in Palmer Lake, the trail winds down to Northern Colorado Springs via the former right-of-way of the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad (ATSF).
Once it reaches northern Colorado Springs, the trail connects and merges with the Pikes Peak Greenway which runs through downtown. As is the case in most of Colorado, the railroad(s) are largely responsible for the growth and settlement of the city. The ATSF had a rivalry with the Denver and Rio Grande Western railroad, which had also built tracks through Palmer Lake and into Colorado Springs - again largely helping to grow the city in the process. Therefore, strolling (or biking) along this trail is akin to walking through a time-capsule.
I met up with El Paso County Parks planner Ross Williams to learn about the trail's past and its future.
As we walked south from the Palmer Lake trailhead, Ross explained:
"On [the] ATSF side, the rails were actually taken up and abandoned in the late 60s and early 70s. By 1972, most of the rails were actually gone".
From there, the right of way was sold to El Paso County, which turned it into a park.
If you're hoping for a quiet time - this trail isn't your ticket: it's one of the most popular trails in the county due to its accessibility. It's easy to get to, bisects the central population corridor including downtown Colorado Springs via its connector trails, and is relatively flat. The only notable grade is while the trail winds through land owned by the Air Force Academy - and even then, it's still shallow. Over 17 miles, from the Edmundson trailhead to Palmer Lake, the trail climbs from around 6,280 feet to 7,250 feet, which means the trail averages less than 1 degree of incline. That's thanks to it being a railroad grade - non-cog railroads can't climb hills above 2-4% incline. It's also wide and well graded, making it a great option for gravel, cross, and mountain bikers.
As we made our way south toward Ross' favorite part of the park and its newest addition...we passed all kinds of people. Runners, walkers, bikers, a group playing volleyball, a group of moms with their kids, folks with their dogs. It really is a trail that works for everyone.
About a half mile down the trail, we arrived at a junction. If you're heading south from Palmer Lake, it's on your left side. The still-active BNSF tracks (former D&RGW) are on the right. It's easy to spot the turn-off if you're looking for it...easy to miss if you're not.
Ross told me that in 2017, El Paso County was offered 60 acres of land immediately adjacent to the existing Santa Fe Trail land. After discussion, the county decided to purchase it and add it into the existing park. As with the rest of the trail - it's full of history. The family the county bought it from had lived on the property since 1920.
In 2022, El Paso County opened the land as the Santa Fe open space. It feels notably different to the wide gravel trail on the rest of the route. The trails are typical narrower single track dirt hiking trails, winding between trees and wildflowers and open meadows. This reflects its past: as a stage and ranch road...rather than a rail line.
We came up to a rusted-out first generation Dodge Coronet by the side of the road, left decades ago by a rancher named Kyle Herman who helped to build the Air Force Academy. It's a highlight of this side excursion, and really helped me flip back the clock to what it may have felt like driving up the old road long ago.
We then headed back to the main trail as a freight train rumbled by, a reminder of the past...and also present...of the railroad and its impact on the growth of the entire Pikes Peak Region.
The mile markers on the route reflect this history too - they're built in the style of the old Santa Fe Railroad's mile posts.
Soon enough, my hike came to a close, after checking out the also interesting southern section of the trail in northern Colorado Springs,
RATING:
Scenery: 4/5
Accessibility - ease of use: 5/5
Accessibility - ease of access: 5/5
Technicality: Easy
Overall: 5/5
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