Overview
Dominating the skyline of southern Colorado Springs, Cheyenne Mountain is easily the 2nd most recognizable mountain in the area. The mountain's sheer mass, coupled with its array of television and radio antennas, make it a ubiquitous backdrop to the Springs. Even on the darkest of nights, the red blinking lights of the radio towers let you know where Cheyenne Mountain is.
This mountain has everything. In addition to the antenna farm, the mountain also hosts the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, the only mountain zoo in the United States, and of course, NORAD. There was once a restaurant high on the mountain, boasting spectacular views of the surrounding mountains and the city.
But in spite of all of Cheyenne Mountain's character, it is a mountain that is seldom-climbed. This is most likely due to a lack of information about the mountain.
It is a common misperception that the summit of Cheyenne Mountain is on private property. In fact, the summit is in the Pike National Forest, and as such, is public land. Much of the mountain is privately owned, including NORAD, the antenna farm, the Zoo, the Shrine, and The Horns, site of the now-destroyed restaurant. The private property is generally on the north and east sides of the mountain, while the south and west sides are in the National Forest. There is plenty to explore on this public part of the mountain, including the summit itself.
Making things tricky for the would-be explorer, there is not a single public trailhead on Cheyenne Mountain. Trails do exist, and are accessible from the road, but there are no signs to announce them, nor are they visible from the road. That is where this page comes in.
Spending some time on Cheyenne Mountain is truly a treat. If you have spent time in the mountains near Colorado Springs, you will really appreciate the unique perspective Cheyenne Mountain affords. The view of the surrounding mountains is awesome.
Please note that there is not a trail to the summit. A summit attempt requires confident navigation skills, good maps, a compass, and preferably a GPS. For some on-trail exploring of Cheyenne Mountain, see The Horns route page.
Getting There
To reach the MacNeil Trail, take Old Stage Road from Colorado Springs. This road takes you on your initial ascent of the mountain, as it skirts the base from north to southwest. Follow signs for Stables at the Broadmoor, which is located at the intersection of Old Stage Road and Forest Road 369. Rather than turning left onto FR369, park to the right of this intersection (there is a suitable clearing).
Once you've parked, notice the mound of gravel just north and east of the intersection (across the road from the stables sign). Climb up onto the gravel mound and then you will see two choices. To the left is a singletrack trail, which is shown on the Pikes Peak Atlas next to the "34". Or, go straight up to a saddle just east of Old Stage Road and north of FR369. The Route Pages will advise you from this point.
Red Tape
Much of Cheyenne Mountain is in Pike National Forest. All routes described herein travel only on public land in the National Forest, unless explicitly stated. It is legal to hike anywhere in the National Forest; permits and fees are not required.
It is your responsibility to know where public property ends and private property begins. I recommend the Pikes Peak Atlas for this, as it explicitly has Pike National Forest shaded green. Other options are the "Colorado Springs Pikes Peak 75k Trail & Recreation Map" (www.skyterrain.com), or the USGS map, but these are somewhat less explicit about property boundaries.
Here are some specific notes of interest, but it should not be considered an exhaustive list.
- NORAD is located on the east side of the mountain. You really, really don't want to trespass here.
- There is a road to the antenna farm; however, this road is gated, locked, and is off limits to the public. Don't try it.
- Most of the area along Old Stage Road, on the northern part of the road, is private property. It may be possible to access the mountain from this side without trespassing. Then again, it may not be.
- There is an abandoned road, above the Shrine, that leads to the Horns and the old restaurant site. This road is also on private property and is off limits.
- In general, if you are approaching the mountain from the east or from the north, you are probably trespassing.
When To Climb
Like most area mountains, it is best to climb Cheyenne Mountain when it is clear of snow. Although none of the routes described here are technical, a typical thin layer of snow would make footing quite tricky.
Anyone who has ascended Cheyenne Mountain in the snow is encouraged to share information.
Camping
There is no camping along Old Stage Road.
On the mountain, there are plenty of opportunities for backpacking sites. Most notably at the 8700' high point where the MacNeil Trail becomes faint, or at numerous places along the long summit ridge. However, there is no reliable water source just about anywhere on the mountain.
Mountain Conditions
Contact the Pikes Peak Ranger District for current conditions.
Pikes Peak Ranger District
(719) 636-1602
Click here for a live webcam of Cheyenne Mountain.
Here's a site for Teller County/Rampart Range above 7500 Ft/Pikes Peak Between 7500 And 11000 Ft.
And here's Colorado Springs weather:
Miscellaneous
There is all sorts of non-climbing information out there for Cheyenne Mountain. See the Links page for interesting reading material.
Colorado Springs Mountains -- Interactive Map
External LinksImages
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Front Range (CO)
