Directions:

From I-25, exit at Monument and head west on 2nd Street. Turn left and head south on Mitchell Avenue and then turn right and head west on Mount Herman Road. After ¾ of a mile on Mount Herman Road, you’ll enter Pike National Forest. The Trailhead is a little more than a mile further on Mount Herman Road, just north of Monument Rock. I believe this is the second parking area/trailhead on Mount Herman Road. 

Hike Description:

Monument Rock is an iconic rock formation in Pike National Forest just west of the town of Monument and visible from I-25. The Rock is the centerpiece of a small trail system that weaves through the hills around the rock and below Mount Herman. This is a very pretty area, much more so than I thought going into the hike, especially in the fall when the scrub oaks are red and orange. 

Monument Rock is impressive and the short trail that takes you there from the road crosses some nice ponds. From the rock, there are multiple trails that stretch out in all directions. I had a hard time finding much info on this trail system online, if you have the Gaia GPS app (which I highly recommend) you will find the trails on their base map.  The trails are not named and there is little or no signage.  That being said, the area is small and bordered on the north and west by Mount Herman Road, so you are unlikely to get too lost.

From Monument Rock, take the trail that heads west and bear right at the fork in the trail. Follow this trail west; uphill through meadows and oaks until you get to Mount Herman Road, then turn left and follow the trail south and back to the east.  This trail leads up to a bit of a summit with terrific views of Mount Herman and the Monument area, again, in fall, this view really pops.  From the summit, continue to the east as the trail winds down the hillside and arrives back at Monument Rock.  From there, retrace your route past the ponds and back to Mount Herman Road and the parking area. 

This is a nice little hiking area and one often overlooked by Front Range hikers. I highly recommend checking this spot out in early to mid October if you are looking for a relatively easy hike with some wonderful scenery.