GO HIKE COLORADO
Get in Touch:
  • HOME
  • ABOUT
  • HIKES BY REGION
    • DENVER AREA >
      • Denver Mountain Parks
      • Jefferson County Open Space
      • Lakewood Parks
      • Denver Area Greenways
    • BOULDER AREA
    • DOUGLAS COUNTY
    • FORT COLLINS AREA
    • COLORADO SPRINGS AREA
    • FRONT RANGE
    • TENMILE & MOSQUITO RANGES
    • GORE RANGE
    • SANGRE DE CRISTO MOUNTAINS
    • PARK RANGE
    • SAWATCH RANGE
    • ELK MOUNTAINS
    • SAN JUAN MOUNTAINS
    • THE FLAT TOPS
    • GRAND MESA
    • COLORADO PLATEAU
    • EASTERN PLAINS
  • NATIONAL PARK HIKES
    • BENT'S OLD FORT NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
    • BLACK CANYON OF THE GUNNISON NATIONAL PARK
    • COLORADO NATIONAL MONUMENT
    • CURECANTI NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
    • DINOSAUR NATIONAL MONUMENT
    • FLORISSANT FOSSIL BEDS NATIONAL MONUMENT
    • MESA VERDE NATIONAL PARK
    • ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK
    • GREAT SAND DUNES NATIONAL PARK
    • HOVENWEEP NATIONAL MONUMENT
    • SAND CREEK MASSACRE NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE
    • YUCCA HOUSE NATIONAL MONUMENT
  • HIKES BY CATEGORY
    • HIKES TO ALPINE LAKES
    • HIKES TO PEAKS & PASSES
    • HIKES THROUGH CANYONS
    • HIKES WITH FALL COLORS
    • HIKES ALONG THE I-70 CORRIDOR
    • HIKES ON PAVED TRAILS
    • HIKES FOR KIDS
    • HIKES TO WATERFALLS
    • HIKES ALONG RIVERS
    • HIKES WITH ROCK FORMATIONS
    • HIKES WITH WILDFLOWERS
    • WINTER HIKES
  • NEWS
  • WEBCAMS
  • $UPPORT GHC
  • INTERACTIVE MAP

Mt. Herman Trail
Pike National Forest

Date Hiked: December 6, 2020

Distance: 2.1 mi (RT)
Elevation Gain: 933 ft 
Elevation Min/Max: 8,136 to 9,009 ft
Trailhead Lat/Long: 39.07120, -104.93216
Managing Agency: U.S. Forest Service
Fee: None

Mt. Herman Webpage (USFS)
Picture

DIRECTIONS:  The drive up to the Mt. Herman Trailhead is half the adventure.  From I-25 take exit 161 for Monument and head west on 2nd Street.  Turn left (South) on Mitchell Ave and right (west) on Mt. Herman Road.  Head west for 3/4 of a mile to the boundary of Pike National Forest and the Monument Fire Center.  Here the road becomes dirt.  It's not a bad dirt road but it is narrow, there are extreme drop offs, and plenty of rocks and potholes...SUV or better recommended.  See the photo below for a picture of the road.  Drive on the dirt road for about 4 miles to the trailhead.  Parking fills up fast so...good luck!  
Picture
Mt. Herman Road
Mt. Herman is a terrific hike and it's well known by hikers in Colorado Springs, the Monument area, and the Air Force Academy.  The hike is relatively short but it gains a fair bit of elevation and is steep in parts.  The views from the ridge and the summit are nothing short of spectacular.  

The trail starts out by snaking up through a rocky gorge and within a few minutes you are faced with a fork in the trail.  Stay to the right and follow the trail as it turns sharply and heads uphill.  From here the trail weaves through the forest with sparse views through the trees.  Off the the left you'll see a rocky cliff face through the trees, a short spur trail takes you to an overlook.  Keep climbing following the rocky trail until you reach a cliff edge and an overlook.  This view is incredible but you're not at the top yet.  

The trail here can be hard to spot but you basically have two options.  The official trail stays just below (to the west of) the ridge leading to the summit.  Well worn social trails follow the ridge and provide almost constant views.  On my hike, I stayed on the ridge on the way up and took the official trail on the way down...you can't go wrong either way.

Before long you'll reach the summit and you'll know you are there when you see the wind sock.  The views, the views, the views.  Aside from the staggering view down to the Monument area, you'll be treated to views of the Pike's Peak Massif to the south, the Tarryall Mountains to the west, Mt. Evans and the Northern Front Range mountains to the northwest.  The hike back down to the trailhead is a quick one and follows the same route.

Mt. Herman is well worth the visit.  It can get busy on the weekends so hike early or mid-week.  The hike should be accessible year round but if Mt. Herman road is muddy or snow covered then you may need to hike elsewhere.  The trail can get icy and slick in the winter so bring some microspikes along.  
© Go Hike Colorado, 2020.  All Rights Reserved. 
Use of photographs without prior authorization is
​strictly prohibited.


Contact us at:
[email protected]
Legal Disclaimer - Information provided on this site is based upon our own observations, always double check information with the appropriate land management agency before heading into the backcountry.  Backcountry travel is inherently dangerous, please take all proper precautions.  Go Hike Colorado is not responsible for injury or incident.