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Palmer Park Loop
Trail Running Route
Moderate
7.08 mi
963 ft
The quintessential Colorado Springs trail system.
Palmer Park is the quintessential Colorado Springs trail system. When this 730-acre park was donated to the city of Colorado Springs in 1907 by city founder William Jackson Palmer, it was miles from downtown. But now, the city surrounds the park, and most Colorado Springs residents can access one of Palmer Park's many trailheads within minutes.
Palmer Park boasts over 20 miles of high-quality rock-strewn singletrack that is exceedingly popular with the local mountain bikers but also attracts its fair share of hikers and trail runners. The trails here are generally rocky and chunky, with plenty of embedded granite slabs in the trail tread. In between the rock slabs, chunky rock gardens predominate, and in between the rock gardens, you'll find classic Colorado Front Range kitty litter consisting of decomposing granite that has sloughed off the rocky cliff faces and slabs over the eons.
The loop shown here circumnavigates Palmer Park, hitting many of the best trails and connecting them into one logical loop without any backtracking. As you look at the map, you'll notice all of the cross trails that bisect this trail system. As you grow more familiar with Palmer Park, you'll undoubtedly find yourself connecting many alternate segments together, doubling back on yourself, and focusing on your favorite bits of trail. But for the perfect primer loop in this incredible city park, follow this itinerary for a fantastic hike or trail run!
Sources:
[](
[]( Written by Greg Heil
Palmer Park is the quintessential Colorado Springs trail system. When this 730-acre park was donated to the city of Colorado Springs in 1907 by city founder William Jackson Palmer, it was miles from downtown. But now, the city surrounds the park, and most Colorado Springs residents can access one of Palmer Park's many trailheads within minutes.
Palmer Park boasts over 20 miles of high-quality rock-strewn singletrack that is exceedingly popular with the local mountain bikers but also attracts its fair share of hikers and trail runners. The trails here are generally rocky and chunky, with plenty of embedded granite slabs in the trail tread. In between the rock slabs, chunky rock gardens predominate, and in between the rock gardens, you'll find classic Colorado Front Range kitty litter consisting of decomposing granite that has sloughed off the rocky cliff faces and slabs over the eons.
The loop shown here circumnavigates Palmer Park, hitting many of the best trails and connecting them into one logical loop without any backtracking. As you look at the map, you'll notice all of the cross trails that bisect this trail system. As you grow more familiar with Palmer Park, you'll undoubtedly find yourself connecting many alternate segments together, doubling back on yourself, and focusing on your favorite bits of trail. But for the perfect primer loop in this incredible city park, follow this itinerary for a fantastic hike or trail run!
Sources:
[](
[]( Written by Greg Heil
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Strava Routes
Route and Elevation
Segments
| Name | Distance | Elev. Diff. | Avg. Grade |
|---|---|---|---|
| Palmer Park Lazy Land Hill | 0.18 mi | 79 ft | 8.3% |
| Templeton - Yucca Flats to Lazy Land | 0.84 mi | -115 ft | -2.6% |
| Templeton Trail Climb | 0.57 mi | 174 ft | 5.7% |
| Temp to down Edna Mae | 1.05 mi | -177 ft | -3.1% |
| Tempelton to bottom of cobbles | 0.66 mi | -62 ft | -1.4% |
| Palmer Park Run Along Road | 0.64 mi | 187 ft | 5.5% |