Jones Park via Bear Creek Canyon

Bear Creek Trail (Trail #666) is a intermediate hike through a nice canyon that was part of an old trail going up to Pikes Peak.

You can either start where Gold Camp Road meets High Drive or drive the one way gravel High Drive from Cheyenne Canyon and save about one mile of hiking. The trail climbs through the forest, then the canyon opens up with the right side sloping sharply down. After passing Josephine Falls the trail keeps closer to the creek. The trail ends when it meets the Jones Park Trail (also known as Captain Jacks trail). Do not cross the stream but continue straight on trail #667. You will pass an old mining tunnel. Eventually you will reach a nice meadow called Jones Park. From there you can take number of other trails or summit nearby peaks (Mount Kineo, Mount Arthur, Mount Garfield).

Distance: 8.4 miles round trip from Gold Camp Road. High Drive - 1.1 miles / Trail 666 - 2.1 miles / Trail 667 - 1 mile

Difficulty Rating:

Directions: Take US-24 west and turn left on S 26th street. Drive for about 2.4 miles and park at the Bear Creek Park parking lot on the side of the street. Then hike via High Drive until you reach trail head in one mile. Alternate approach is to drive through N Cheyenne Canyon road past Helen Hunt falls all the way until you reach High Drive. This is a one way unpaved gravel road. Drive 2.4 miles and then park on the side by the trail head sign. This road may be closed in winter.