This piece of county-maintained open space is a beautiful mix of forest and high meadow or pasture trails. The upper route winds through tall pines with great overlooks. The lower meadow trail opens into peaceful grasslands. Had an unforgettable moment on the high meadow. Spotted a mountain lion 700 or so hundred feet away croached near a melting snow berm. Then, I rounded a bend in the distance and it disappeared behind a thicket. I walked backward for 30 minutes with a snapped-off branch of scrub oak. Wild. Beautiful. Humbling. Colorado at its best. read more

Spruce Mountain is a popular trail running, hiking and dog walking spot just outside the city limits of Palmer Lake in Larkspur. The appeal is based on ease of access and trail layout. Miles can be accumulated depending on your fancy. Ever since the reservoir trail banned dogs this has become a super popular destination. That is the downfall, IMO. The parking lot fills up quick and the amount of dog walkers populates the trail. Having said that, it is a perfect spot to spread your wings and get active. The lower loop is less crowded and wide open. The upper boasts of better views, but more people. Get up and get movin! read more

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Tis was an occasion where I joined this photography/hiking meetup group. It was at 8am on a beautiful Sunday and about 10 of us gathered at the beautiful hiking trail for a quick hike with our SLRs (for mw, it was my iPhone !!!) to take stunning photos. Sounded like my kind of thing so I joined. And I'm glad that I did. It had been very pleasant when it came to the temperatures for the last week or two in Colorado. None of us were prepared for the snow covered trails so definitely bring your spikes or chains to wear on your shoes or it might be a bit dangerous to hike this trail during cold(er) months; it was very slippery. The hike is pretty moderate so this is a great place for beginners and families with small kids. But this is not to say that the hike doesn't contain stunning views; with that being said, this is a hidden gem. Per the organizer, he and his wife sometimes get up early in the morning like 3am(!!) to catch the sunrise as this is one of the best places for it. I guess I will try that in the near future but I honestly don't know if I'd get up at 3am!! The trail is well maintained and very easy to navigate. This is a popular spot for people who live in Castle Rock or Sedalia but it's also for someone like me who live in Denver; it's about 30/35 minutes away from it. Not bad! read more

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Second time here but first to review. Trail is in good condition, assuming you can dodge the piles of horse poop. Good number of bikes and people with dogs, but everyone was courteous. Port-a-potties and trash cans at the trailhead. Decent views with a few different areas to step out and see more. read more

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This is a nice easy hike. So if you have younger children or guests in town who maybe aren't up for a big change in elevation, this is a good choice. We took the shorter trail to the top - you go left right as it splits at the trailhead. I think it's called Oak trail. Then it's approx 1.2 miles to the top where you can do a loop up top. Then you returned on the same trail you went up. Total of approximately 4.9 miles. There are some nice views of the mountains and some east as well. You even get some views of the snow capped mountains further north. There is a port a potty in the parking lot. A good choice if you want an easy hike. read more

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Great hike for those not used to altitude/elevation. There are spectacular views of mountains (Pikes Peak) and many rocky outcrops. We hiked mid February so there were a few people on this beautiful day..snow and some ice on the trail but nothing too bad. We made the mistake of parking at the Spruce Meadows Trail and hiking over to the Spruce Mountain Trailhead..wouldn't be too bad but had to "post hole" it through the field before we got to where we wanted to go. Be sure to take a camera because it's pretty! It's a great place to take children and those that don't like to climb in elevation during a hike. read more

Spruce Mountain Open Space - Douglas County - Hiking Near Me - Larkspur, Colorado

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Tires knifed at Spruce Mountain Open Space trailhead. Two tires were knifed on my buddies SUV at Spruce Mountain Open Space trailhead. Both passenger side tires were punctured. Sometime between 06:30 and 08:00 this morning. No clue why. When we got to the trailhead, there was no one else in the lot. read more

5 star hike for everyone. Great for families and people of all ages. A little challenging in the beginning but smooths out once you're on top as it's a plateau. There is a prairie hike which goes around the base of Spruce Mountain if you'd rather just go for a pleasant, fairly level walk. Just past the parking area you can straight or left. This is the bottom loop. To go up the mountain, go straight and once you pass that junction look for a small trail veering to the left. You'll go through scrub oak and then into tall evergreens. Lots of switchbacks as this is the steepest section. It will be easy for regular hikers but may be somewhat challenging for those new to the altitude or terrain. There is a break area with a log bench about half way up. At the top where it levels out there is another rest area with great views, great pic opportunities and log bench. Veer to the right to continue the top trail. You'll come to another rest area after some time and can either turn back or continue to do the whole top loop which rewards you with breathtaking views towards Pikes Peak while you overlook Spruce Ranch complete with cattle and ponds. Be aware, on the trail may be mountain bikers, horseback riders and I've even seen people training with their donkeys for Burro racing! Leashed dogs welcome. read more

A highland open space on the Palmer Divide about five miles south of Larkspur, this often overlooked open space encompasses rocky buttes, rolling high prairie, scrub forest and pines. Its a great place to enjoy the Colorado foothills and feast ont the semiarid land turns from cacti and dry grass to sparse forest. Lots of wildlife, from bigger mammals such as deer to tiny critters like the endangered jumping mouse. Lots of birds of prey in the spring soaring overhead and the Rocky Mountain front range as back drop. Dogs area allowed, but no motorized vehicles. The trails are fairly easy, but long ...there's a standard 5.5 mile loop , and some that are much longer...and the high elevation - about 6800 feet, may leave some breathless. But its the views that will leave everyone gasping. read more

What a wonderful hidden gem. The mountain top trails are nice and wide and clearly marked at each junction. There's not much elevation gain so this is a great place to take the kids. Most of the mountain trail is through trees so you get some shade. The overlooks are fun and give you a nice view looking east. My three year old can't make the full 5 mile hike and I was able to push her in a trail stroller just fine on these trails. I only had to carry the stroller in about 3 short spots over rocks. I give it 4 stars instead of 5 just because you have dodge horse poop and on regular basis, but not enough to keep me from coming back. read more

Great hike and clean trails! We went to the top and back about 5.4 miles. Constant small climb for about 2.8 miles. Several switchbacks and in and out of the trees. Good for all that can go 5+miles. Good views and several places to relax and take in the day. Got a couple hours it's worth the drive and your time! read more

Such a simple , beautiful hike. Do pay attention to signs or your gps. We took the path most traveled which wasn't actually the path we wanted. We missed the signs. Weather set in and we didn't see areas we wanted, but overall a really nice area. read more

This is a really good trail system. You can do 1 mike or 8 miles. There are multiple connections and it is a fair trail for all activity levels. So ups and downs, and flat walking spots but nothing to strenuous. Love the views at the top of the bluffs. And the wildflowers on the back side bottom are amazing in june and early July. Port-a potties in the parking lots, and little rest spots/ lunch places all along the different trails. Happy hiking! read more

Great park! Biked up the service road on the west side which is steep and a good workout! Up top are fantastic and dramatic panoramic views (mostly to the southwest to east) from the cliffs of Spruce Mountain. The trail makes a loop up top. The descent down the northeast is fun flowy singletrack through the woods down eventually to the plains. read more