Forrest Road 381

Approach

Take I-25 from either the north or south to Exit 140. Go south on Rt. 115, which is Nevada Ave. Get off at the westbound Lake Ave exit. Take your second left onto Cheyenne Mt. Rd. and follow this until you come to the sign for the Cheyenne Mt. Zoo, which will be to the left. Go straight through this intersection and take Old Stage Road into the mountains. I strongly recommend using the Pikes Peak Atlas Map from this point. Follow Old Stage Rd. until it merges with Gold Camp Rd. Continue on Gold Camp to Forrest Rd 381, which will be on the right. Only brave this road with a good 4W drive vehicle with good clearance. Overall, it is not that bad, except for a small handful of very rocky sections that make it a potentially treacherous drive. Follow FR 381 2.1 miles until it ends at a gathering of smaller trails that mark the site of an abandoned mine. At this point you are at ~ 10,100 ft. and actually above the 9782 ft. summit, which is about a mile away.

Route Description

From the Gold Camp Rd/FR 381 junction you may either walk or drive the 2.1 miles to the abandoned mine that serves as the start of the 1 mile undulating ridge that leads you to the summit. (Once again, if you drive it, it should only be done with a 4W drive vehicle with good clearance. Do not attempt this road with a passenger car.) This is the location of an abandoned mine and the junction of numerous trails. Many of these trails are old mining roads that now serve as ATV and dirt bike hotspots. At this point you are at ~ 10,100 ft. and actually above the 9782 ft. summit, which is about a mile away. The mine junction is the key to the route. This is where the route finding fun really begins. It serves as the beginning of the ridge that you will follow to the summit. I strongly recommend a good topo map, compass and/or GPS from this point. Turn northeast and follow this undulating ridge for one mile. At the start there are numerous old mining roads that run along the beginning of the ridge. You need to stick to the one that stays on the ridge crest as much as possible. Shortly after the first couple rise and falls these roads will peter out and you will need to start bushwhacking through the lightly wooded ridge. Fortunately, there is not too much undergrowth and scrub brush. Keep an eye out for the summit through the trees and angle for the southwest base of the summit. The east face of the summit is steep and technical. You will drop down into a small clearing at the base. Scramble up the southwest edge of the summit for ~ 500 ft. and enjoy the views!

Essential Gear

Good hiking boots and appropriate seasonal attire, in addition to a good 4W drive vehicle.

Miscellaneous Info

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