Trail Series, Part 20 In an effort to explore as many trails…read morein Colorado as possible, our next stop was "Stratton Open Space Park" located in Colorado Springs. Their multitude of trails welcome hikers, runners, mountain bikers, leased dogs, and equestrians. Although access isn't provided to the "Gold Camp Reservoir," your dog is welcome to enjoy a refreshing dip in the waters of the "Mesa Reservoir" (fishing and human swimming is prohibited). There are numerous great views of the surrounding mountains, the valley below, and the iconic Broadmoor Hotel, so be prepared to snap a few pics. Convenient parking is provided and all hiking and running abilities are able to enjoy these trails (including those with strollers/baby joggers when accessing the wide and well maintained fire access road). This trail is easily accessible from The Springs and offers something for nearly everyone. And that's...Henry's Take. #coloradotrails #hikingcoloradosprings #runningcoloradosprings

This is such a beautiful trail. Easy access, not a lot of people, wide trail space, and the most…read moreamazing views. Only downside is the construction on the 2 ponds next to each other. Both are currently gated & 1 is entirely dried up. Other than that, this is my favorite trail in Colorado Springs.

Such a fun and clean park, lots of stuff crammed in the large space to keep the family entertainedread more

Limited parking. Some of the features are showing wear and tear. Very popular; lots of people on…read morethe weekends. The kids had a good time.

I wanted some vibes like Garden of the gods but did not want the crowds so I checked out Red Rock…read moreCanyon Open Space! I was really impressed with this open space. Parking was easy, they had plenty of spots while I was visiting. They've got something for everyone! Hiking trails, bike park/paths, rock climbing (permit needed), an off leash dog park. I specifically went for the hiking trails. They were great for my 4 year old. When I go with him I try to look for trails under 3 miles. My only complaint is I wish they had real bathrooms by the parking lot. The porta potty was pretty gross. P.s. you can see garden of the gods from this park! They are pretty close to each other!

Colorado is the healthiest state in the US (this is fact, you can look this up on the CDC website)…read moreand I can see why. With such amazing hiking available, that is free to residents and visitors, all over the state, it encourages you to get outside and enjoy what mother nature has to offer. Red Rock Canyon Open Space has a series of canyons and ridges sculpted by erosion of the area's uplifted rock strata. The ridges and canyons offer beautiful views that are photo worthy for those wanting to post to their social media (or hey, just keeping these photo keepsakes in your own camera roll is also fine too). Red Rock Canyon Open Space is dog friendly, with some off leash areas (where noted), and 11 trails that you can hike. The trails are anywhere from 1.7 miles to 5.4 miles, with a lot of pretty easy trails for those that are not as active but still want to partake in the journey. You can also see views of Garden of the Gods, which is nearby. Red Rock Canyon Open Space is not nearly as busy as Garden of the Gods (but highly recommend a visit there too, which is also dog friendly). From May 1 and Oct. 31, you can enter Red Rock Canyon Open Space between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m.; during the rest of the year, the park closes at 9 p.m. There is free parking available and also one porta potty at the beginning of the trail (but I did not use it) and also trash cans (I did not see trash cans anywhere else in this open space). My husband and I visited Red Rock Canyon Open Space with our little girl dog. We came on a Sunday afternoon, a little after 1 pm. It was an overcast day, which was nice. But it was rather busy but not crowded. We were able to find a parking spot without any trouble. We only did 2 light trails but enjoyed the views. The trails we had were pretty easy for the most part. We also did see a handful of dogs during our visit. Please note that there is hardly any shade so make sure you plan accordingly (hat to shade your face, plenty of water, etc).

Always love a space that is filled with tranquility. This is a perfect little lake loop for a short…read moreand serene walk. My son and his gf discovered it this past weekend and brought me for some fresh air after our morning coffee, before it was time for a full day of travel to make it back to LA. We love long walks and if you want to loop this several times you can get in a little bit of mileage but it's only about 1 mile around. I can definitely see us running the neighborhood and tossing in a bunch of laps here. We jokingly said we'd train for our April ultra here, hahaha - totally not running over 30 loops, no matter how many times we changed the direction. Also fairly certain we could run a short ultra tomorrow morning if we had a decent dinner before bed. It is however, a great option for training since there's a restroom and parking lot - if you're training for a shorter distance. The weather was stunning (as it had snowed over night and into the early morning) and only a couple of joggers were out. If you appreciate peaceful and calm spaces beside bodies of water, this is the neighborhood gem of a park that you'll be grateful to spend time at.

It was a beautiful day. The weather was perfect. Even though it was a busy day on the lake there…read morewas still plenty of parking and access to the water.

I have only ever been here for the pickleball courts but let me say... these are, in my opinion,…read morethe best pickleball courts in Colorado Springs. They are always so well maintained! They are always packed with people, but there are a ton of courts so I'd say you can usually always find one open! Or a pair of people playing that you can join (make some friends). In the warmer months, there are more courts open and when it gets to winter months, they seem to close off the back courts. Which has been a bummer because this winter has felt like the summer. But it's not that big of a deal! The lighting at night is great and there is a good amount of parking leading into the park. I have no complaints and every time I come, I'm happy.

Excellent place to go exercise, relax, go on a picnic, take your kids to the playground, enjoy…read morenature. It's by far my favorite place to go in a run.

it's quite lovely especially for being in the middle of town. My kids love walking the trails along…read morethe creek. Makes my dog pretty happy too

This is a really beautiful park. It is always clean. My running club comes here every Saturday…read moremorning (unless it's raining badly ) and runs together. It is usually pretty packed but there's obviously tons of space. I'll go on a limb and say there's many quality people who visit, as well, as an older woman needed medical attention and a bunch of us were quick to assist. I recommend a visit to all

I liked this hike! It took me about 30-40 minutes to get up, with some stops along the way for…read morepictures. The road was paved nicely. There are cool white structures you can climb on as you approach the main pulpit rock.

I've passed by this spot for ages and always thought about hiking to the summit. I finally made it…read morehappen! Parking is a breeze and right at the trailhead. There are tons of signs to guide you all the way up. This hike is really easy, making it perfect for families. The views from the top are amazing! You can see the entire west side of Colorado Springs, Garden of the Gods, USAFA, and Pikes Peak. It took me around 45 minutes to reach the top from the parking area.

Seven Falls was absolutely, positively beautiful in every way. Words can't even describe it, but…read morehopefully these photos can convince you. Seven Falls started out with a semi-short shuttle ride to the actual scenery. From there, it just got more amazing. I understand how the steps could be strenuous for many, and it definitely wasn't easy, but a little stop to catch your breath is provided about midway through. I saw a couple people who didn't feel up to finishing the steps stopping at the rest point, taking some photos, and coming back down. The views were still stunning from that height. Heck, they're stunning from any height or viewpoint. There was also a little shop with delicious popsicles located before the steps. Clean bathrooms along the way as well. It all just seemed very well-thought-out. This was also partially due to the employees, who were all very helpful and pleasant. To put it simply, Seven Falls has it all-it's beautiful, clean, and unique. Amazing in every aspect, stunning from every angle. I felt immersed in the mountainscape from the first step out of that shuttle.

Overrated. The parking is 20 minutes from the actual falls. Waited 45+ minutes for our shuttle bus…read moreto arrive in 90 degree heat. Finally the bus showed up & it was a 20 minute ride to the falls. Get off the bus, then walk up hill half a mile, then half to walk over 200 steps in order to get to the waterfalls and trails. When you're done, you have to go the opposite direction and do it all over again. They charge $5 a piece for any beverage (water, Gatorade, etc.) and $5 a piece for an ice cream bar. If you get tickets, get them in advance on the website. Afternoon tickets after 1pm are cheaper. You do not have the option to drive to the location yourself & taking the shuttle is a requirement. Overall, not worth the price for the wait and hassle.