Red Rock Canyon Open Space is the park that fits the shoulder season. It is low enough to stay hikeable after Pikes Peak gets its first snow, and the sandstone it shares with Garden of the Gods looks its best in low autumn light. It also sits just outside Manitou Springs, so if you are staying in town it is the easy day when the high country is not cooperating.

This guide covers how the park is laid out, how to combine trails into loops, and what to check before you go in October and November.

The Park at a Glance

Red Rock Canyon Open Space is a city park of roughly 1,470 acres between Colorado Springs and Manitou Springs, described by the Manitou Springs visitor site as a continuation of the same sandstone as Garden of the Gods. It has 11 marked trails ranging from about 1.7 to 5.4 miles, with elevation gains of roughly 200 to 900 feet, rated easy to moderate. Named routes include Red Rock Canyon, Mesa, Greenlee, Sand Canyon, and Roundup. Entry is free.

Because most individual trails are short, the park rewards pairing. Almost any visit is really a loop assembled from two or three segments.

Trailheads and Parking

From US-24, turn onto Ridge Road. The first lot is reached by a right at the stop sign after the roundabout, a second lot is straight ahead, and a third area sits on 31st Street just south of Highway 24. One guide suggests the farthest lot to reach the trail it describes, so pick your lot based on your route, not the nearest space.

Hours listed by one tourism directory are 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. from November 1 through April 30, and 5 a.m. to 10 p.m. from May 1 through October 31. Confirm with the City of Colorado Springs Parks before a late hike, because sunset in fall arrives well before closing.

Pairing Ideas

These are frameworks, not surveyed routes. Exact loop lengths depend on which junctions you choose and sources do not agree on individual trail mileages, so measure each pairing on a current map. A detailed paper map is sold at the Manitou Springs Visitor Center, 354 Manitou Avenue, (719) 685-5089.

The Easy Canyon Loop

Start with the Red Rock Canyon Trail, the park’s namesake, and combine it with a short return on an adjoining trail. Choose the shortest, flattest segments from the map for an evening hike or for hikers with children, staying at the easy end of the park’s 200-foot gain range.

The Mesa Climb

Add the Mesa Trail for a climb. The dog loops are reached from the Mesa Trail access, so this pairing suits hikers who also want to give a dog a run. Expect the moderate end of the park’s range, up to several hundred feet of gain, depending on the segments you choose.

The Longer Day

Chain more of the named routes, such as Greenlee, Sand Canyon, and Roundup, to build toward the upper end of the park’s 1.7 to 5.4-mile trail lengths. Carry water and layers, since shade is limited and fall afternoons can turn cold when the wind picks up.

Linking Toward Manitou

The Intemann Trail connects Red Rock Canyon Open Space with Manitou Springs, running between the open space and Ruxton Avenue. A link trail between Red Rock and Intemann was completed years ago by volunteers. The Intemann has had repair closures before, including stair replacement in Wildcat Gulch in 2024, and we could not confirm its current status, nor the status of the Palmer-Red Rock Loop in Section 16, which had a year-long closure after a 2022 rockslide destroyed a bridge. Check the City of Manitou Springs and Colorado Springs Parks pages before building a route that depends on the connection.

Dogs

Dogs must be leashed throughout the open space except in the two signed off-leash dog loops, Upper and Lower. The leash rule applies in the parking areas and on the Mesa Trail access. The lower loop is reached by heading up the Mesa Trail from the east end of the main lot. Keep a leash handy even if your dog is reliable.

Mud, Closures, and Fragile Rock

Sandstone does not like wet weather. After the park’s 2015 flood damage, the city closed the open space from May 19 to July 3 of that year, and it also closed rock climbing because wet sandstone is fragile. That was a major event, but it shows why closures happen. After rain or a snowmelt, trails can be muddy and slick, and walking around mud widens trails and damages the surroundings. If a trail is closed, stay off it.

Climbing is permitted in the park, but climbers must register at the Garden of the Gods Visitors Center.

Putting a Shoulder-Season Week Together

Red Rock Canyon pairs well with other lower-elevation days. Our Barr Trail shoulder-season guide covers the high-effort option for a good-weather window, and our Palmer Park hiking guide offers another mesa-top network on a different side of the city. If you are looking for a place to stay, start with the Manitou Springs camping guide.

Check the City of Colorado Springs Parks website for current closure notices, download the map before you leave the trailhead, and keep a layer in the pack for when the sun drops.

Sources: Manitou Springs: Red Rock Canyon Open Space; Colorado Springs Trails and Open Spaces: Red Rock Canyon Dog Park; KKTV: Intemann Trail repair closure; Westside Pioneer: Red Rock reopens.