The wonderful thing about getting out for a hike at 6:40am is the golden morning light. It may make some red rocks appear gold, but that only adds to the beauty. Come along for a 3.5 mile hike in Red Rock Canyon Open Space where we will walk through canyons, along fins, and into the scrub oak and pine forest seeing the sights along the way.
For the first 9/10 mile we will be zig-zagging from Sand Canyon Trail to Contemplation Trail and climbing about 400 feet. I know, only 400 feet up when we have mountains over 14,000 feet? Well my friend, a 400 foot climb equals walking up about 37 stories. The big difference? We have a lovely, welcoming, cool morning to enjoy!
You may be wondering, where’s the canyon? The canyons here are not deep carved canyons like Grand Canyon. Here the massive rocks stand and the trail erodes so over time the walls get higher because we are walking lower. We walk straight into the canyon with minimal elevation change and the walls rise above us.
The varying types and ages of sandstone formations create a mini “skyline”. Much of the sandstone on this west side of the park is part of the Fountain Formation about 300 million years old. There are often white layers between the pink and red layers obvious below. Watch for more as we travel along.
It is so nice to have benches along Contemplation Trail so we can relax–and contemplate?
Here is your choice: the rock-strewn gully or the rock steps and groomed trail. Guess which one I’m taking. 😉 Oh the gold light.
Take your time . . .
Let’s relax a moment and enjoy the view of Garden of the God to our north. We are in the shade of a huge Ponderosa Pine. The bark is the dead giveaway (left).
We have more “civilized” stairs after crossing over to Sand CanyonTrail. Look at all the green lichen on the rock and see the white sandstone areas? Fountain Formation. The Gambel oaks (also called scrub oaks) are the small trees here by us. In the areas of the park with cooler temperatures, like here, we find Douglas Fir and Ponderosa Pine. In areas where the sun shines for more hours, Pinion Pines and Junipers thrive.
So what is a fin anyway. There’s one straight ahead (above). Vertically tilted beds of sandstone, conglomerate, and limestone caused by the uplift of the Rocky Mountains–ancient history. Sometimes people use the word “hogback”, but they are entire ridges formed the same way. Those ridges can run for miles.
Let’s just walk a bit and enjoy the cool of the morning, the quiet, and the surrounds.
Whoa! Crossing over to Sand Canyon Trail a ways back, we now have a steep challenge. Watch your step! The red with white rock will NOT be slippery. However, all the tiny pieces of gravel before we get there can make for a dangerous slide or fall. Take your time.
We made it! What a reward, a beautiful look at the mountains to the southwest. We are now on Roundup Trail which will take us up switchbacks to the highest point on our hike, just over 6,600 feet.
As we head into autumn, many flowers have finished blooming for the season and few are left along the trails. These Cowpen Daisies (Verbesina encelioides) are actually asters and do well into late September. Most other sunflower-looking flowers are disappearing quickly so what a treat.
This is a switchback my friend. I can rarely get a photo of these for you but this is how we walk up steep hills—back and forth horizontally to climb vertically.
This was unexpected after that last steep hill. Garden of the Gods and features north.
It is now downhill all the way to the end of Roundup Trail. Watch your step, the trail becomes rock. Remember, watch for gravel. The rock itself almost grabs your shoes. We had that experience in Utah a few years back.
It is also interesting that suddenly we are walking through forest with few red rock formations. These switchbacks will take us down to Red Rock Canyon on the eastern side of the park. Watch the horizon for familiar views as we not only head down, but also north, south, and east.
East . . .
Northeast . . . a hogback right here, going from our left just beyond mid picture.
North . . .
Southeast . . .
Southwest . . .
Now at the bottom of the hill, it is time to explore Red Rock Canyon itself. It is close to 80 degrees, so enjoy the shade and the forest-induced coolness a bit longer. Can you hear the Canyon Wren? They are almost impossible to find in the rocks, but their song sounds like a downhill bubbling creek echoing in the canyon.
Red Rock Canyon Trail takes us through this canyon and is one of the busiest trails in the park. Think we picked a good day! We are looking northeast. See that dark ridge near the horizon? That’s were I live my friend.
Sunflowers holding on as summer winds down.
Much of the rock on this side of the park is Lyons Formation, younger than Fountain, but still old. The layers seen here are characteristic of sand that accumulated into a sand dune–about 260 million years ago.
As we leave the canyon, looking west is Pikes Peak, the sentinel over Colorado Springs.
Block Lake, a small man-made lake built in the 1960’s, now serves as a riparian respite for many birds and animals. This riparian habitat is rare and vital in the high-desert climate that is Colorado Springs. From here it is a half mile to the car in 80 degree sun and no shade. Ah, let’s enjoy the reflections, the shade, and the cool coming from the water just a little longer.
What a lovely walk! Thanks for coming along. Until next time my friend . . .
