Directions:

From Divide, CO, take CO Hwy 67 south fro 9 ¼ miles to the Horsethief Trailhead, there is room for about a dozen cars in the parking lot, and cars often park on the side of the road as well, this is a popular trailhead. 

Hike Description:

Pancake Rocks is a popular hike in the Pike National Forest.  The hike shares a trailhead with the Horsethief Falls trail but Pancake Rocks is the harder and longer of the two. Pancake Rocks refers to the destination, a series of flat stacked rocks and boulders and amazing views.  In the fall, this viewpoint is absolutely stunning and well worth the hike to get there.

The first ¾ of a mile of the hike follows Horsethief Trail as it climbs across hillsides and through pine forest. Once the trail reaches Horsethief Park you’ll reach the junction with the Pancake Rocks Trail. The next mile of the trail is pretty steep as it climbs and switchbacks up the northern slope through mostly pine forest with little pockets of aspen trees.  At this point you’ll be wondering why this is such a great fall colors hike…keep going.

At the 1 ¾ mark, the trail tops off and levels out.  At this point, the forest thins a bit, the aspen’s get more plentiful, and rock formations start to appear.  It's another ¾ of a mile to the end of the trail and when you pop out of the forest, you will know you’ve arrived. The Slickrock dominates this area and the Pancake Rocks are fascinating and perfect for relaxing. The views however are the real treat, the entire surrounding area is covered in aspen trees. If you hit this spot at the right time, when the colors are at peak, the view will take your breath away. 

This trail makes you work for your reward with 1,500 of elevation gain and more than 6 miles of hiking. However, the trail is never too steep and never too difficult, and the scenery is top notch year-round, but especially in early to mid-October.