Next Ride Date: April 13 @ 2:00pm – Meet at the Sentinel Point Parking Lot. (see map) Call 719-229-1068 if you are there and can’t find us.
Getting there: Take Woodmen to North Academy and head South to Maizeland; turn right and then right again into the park and head up to the top to any open parking area.
Basics: Free access to 25 miles of trails of all different riding levels. Great for kids. Great for conditioning.
Description: Palmer Park holds a host of challenges for the equestrian. This trail system is surrounded by the entire mass of humanity that is Colorado Springs. But don’t let that fool you, if you are in need of mountain or trail training your horse, you could do the entire program here and never leave the city. With over 25 miles of easy rolling trails, rim-wrecking drop-offs, steep climbs, step-like rocks, forest covered streams (after it rains), balance-beam boulders- you name it and Palmer Park has it. Shoes and a breast collar are strongly recommended. The trail system is clearly marked and it is worth mentioning their “rating” system; Blue Square being the easiest trails, Green Circles being their moderate, and Black Diamonds being the rough/tough stuff. Expect to see hikers, bikers, and other equestrian enthusiasts as well, however, I have found that mid-day is usually best for equestrians as hikers and bikers prefer the cooler weather.
For our ride, we parked at the top in Lot 16 and there is plenty of room for several truck/trailer combinations. There are several places for restrooms and drinking water (no troughs). The trail we took is a 3.8 mile loop (Palmer Point Trail) with a 1.8 mile out-and-back (Grandview) that takes you to the Grandview Overlook; a total of 5.6 miles that took 2.5 hours to complete. Despite the fact that most of this is marked as a Blue Square, this is not for a beginner or a new trail horse as you will encounter some very rough terrain and will take some balance from the rider as their horse negotiates their footing, couple that with mountain bikes, hikers with dogs, and kids playing, you will want to keep the spooky horses at home. If you are looking for a place to get your horse ready for a mountain trip, an overnighter or just time de-spooking, this is a good place to do it. You will quickly see what kind of shape your horse is in and how “trail ready” he/she/you are; so if you are looking for someplace close by to challenge you and your horse and enjoy some nice views, Palmer Park is the place for you!
Extras: Shoes and Breast Collar are highly recommended. Look for hikers and bikers. There are a couple of areas that dogs are allowed off leash. (See PDF).
