Hello again, hiking Pios. In this week’s installment of “Kellsie falls while hiking” (kidding, but also not kidding) I decided to take on a route that was completely new to me—Palmer Lake Reservoirs Trail.
The hike is located near the charming little town of Palmer Lake (near Monument) and is perfect for a quick, casual through hike or for a small picnic near one of the two scenic reservoirs that the trail passes. It’s about an hour and twenty minute drive from DU.
The route begins at a slight incline, but certainly nothing too extreme (especially compared to last week’s trail). It was a bit tough for me at parts, although I’m pretty out of shape so it depends on your fitness level. However, the amazing views from the trail were able to easily distract me from any soreness in my legs—a river runs beside the trail surrounded by lush green trees and lovely meadows and valleys in the background.
The first reservoir is located about half-a-mile into the hike, and it is absolutely beautiful. While the trail itself isn’t too long, it will still take up a good portion of your time as you will probably want to stop and hang out by the reservoirs for a while. It’s a bit steep and gravelly to get down to the banks at some points, so make sure to exercise plenty of caution. Luckily, only one person from our group fell (it was me).
The next portion of the trail is still an incline, although certainly not as extreme as the first part. The second reservoir comes pretty quickly, and it’s far larger than the first. We passed many families having picnics by the side of the lake, as well as a few fishermen casting lines, both of which are excellent ideas if you decide to make it to this beautiful trail.
The route ends abruptly at a gate, the only clear way back being to turn around. The nice thing about this trail, however, is that there are several clearly marked trails that branch out from the main track, making it easy to extend your hike if you are looking for a more intensive experience.
Hiking back the way we came was certainly no issue, of course, with the scenic views no less enchanting the second time around. Although the trail is less than three miles in length, it still took us a good two and a half hours to hike simply because we took various breaks to hang out and enjoy the views and lovely weather along the way.
If you’re looking for a laid back and relaxing trail with astounding views, Palmer Lake Reservoirs Trail is certainly for you. It’s perfect for a picnic amongst the beauty of the Rockies, and the towns of Palmer Lake, Monument and Colorado Springs are easily accessible from the route as well.
