Directions:

From Colorado Springs, head west on Hwy 24 to Woodland Park. Turn right onto South Baldwin Street which turns into Rampart Range Road. After 4 miles, turn right to stay on Rampart Range Road leading towards Rampart Reservoir. The road soon becomes a good dirt road and should be fine for most vehicles in good weather.  Drive south for four miles to the Rainbow Gulch Trailhead.

Hike Description:

Rampart Reservoir is a very popular recreation area in the Pike National Forest east of Colorado Springs. The reservoir provides hiking, biking, ORVs, camping, and water sports. The most popular trail in this area is Rainbow Gulch, which is also known as one of the better hikes for fall colors in the Colorado Springs area. The hike is relatively easy and good for families and hikers of all skill levels. 

The Rainbow Gulch Trail is a wide dirt road that snakes down through aspen groves and pine forest for 1 ½ miles before it reaches the shore of Rampart Reservoir and connects with other trails. The descent is gentle, losing about 275 ft of elevation and makes for a very pleasant hike and when timed right gives you a good dose of golden aspens. When you reach Rampart Reservoir, the trail forks and follows the reservoir along both the north and south shores.  Either direction leads to wonderful hiking opportunities and you have many options depending on how far you want to hike.

On my visit, I hiked the north shore for about a mile and then came back and explored the south shore. If you are hunting for the best fall colors, the south shore is the preferred route. The trail weaves through beautiful, thick aspen groves that are magical to hike through.   

Save a bit of energy for the uphill hike back to the trailhead though the grade is gentle and the elevation gain is on the lower end so it’s not too difficult. If you get the timing right, Rainbow Gulch is a great choice for taking in the fall colors close to Colorado Springs and Woodland Park.