Hike Planning for Mueller State Park

Pikes Peak from Mueller State Park

Mueller State Park sits just west of Pikes Peak and south of Divide.  Most of the park is at 9600 feet above sea level and the park encompasses 5121 acres situated in trees.  In the past the area was just passed through by native Americans and trappers.  In the 1860's there were about 50,000 people living in the area, many searching for riches at Cripple Creek.
Geologically, the Precambrian Pikes Peak granite lies underneath the park with a couple old fault lines running through the area.  Nearby are Florissant Fossil beds, Molly Kathleen Gold Mine and the Gold Belt Scenic Byway Tour, so there is much to see and do in the region.
Entrance fees are $7 a day, with camping for tents-only $16 and $20 for RV's with electric.
19 miles of trails are set aside for mountain biking, and 55 miles of trails are open for hiking.  There are also horses available for riding the 27 miles of horse trails.  All of these trails are considered "moderate" or "steep".   There are no backcountry campsites (or backpacking), all camping, cabins and yurts are within the front area of the park.  For hiking, a trail map is available HERE.  Most trails are multi-use.

Mueller camp sites

We camped here with friends years ago and had a great time with the kids.  The campsites are treed, with pines and some aspen, and ours was open to a meadow.  There are 132 camping sites, most with electric outlets.  Coin showers are available.  Do get a camping reservation because these sites fill fast.
There is a fine welcome center at Big View Overlook and several family-friendly and more difficult trails start there.  Pick up a trail map before heading out.
Wildlife viewing is good with opportunities to see mule deer, black bear, elk, mountain lions and hawks.  Photography is great here.
Winter is also an excellent time to tour the park by cross-country ski or snowshoes.  We hiked for miles in the backcountry in snowshoes and had the place to ourselves.

Pikes Peak granite

Hidden Mesa Trail

Hidden Mesa Open Space Picnic Shelter

To the east of Castle Rock is the trailhead for Hidden Mesa Trail.  This trail runs east-west from the farm valley floor of Franktown to the top of Hidden Mesa, near the Terrain and Founders neighborhoods.  Today I hiked the eastern portion of the trail that runs from highway 83 to the paved Cherry Creek Trail.

The trail runs over 7 miles round trip and winds through the rolling 1224 acre property. Cherry Creek runs through the property and brings the riparian area to meet the grasslands. The uplands include shrubs and forests along with the cap rock on top of the mesa.  4.7 miles of the trail are natural surface and the paved Cherry Creek portion runs .3 miles.  The valley portion of the trail is rated moderately easy with the mesa portion rated moderately difficult.

Trail sign along farm lane

Along with day hikers, this trail is popular with mountain bikers, horseback riders and families with children and pets.  Drinking water and a Port-a-let are available at the picnic shelter.  The parking lot handles cars and horse trailers.  The original farm house stands closed here, a reminder of simple architecture and of additions as the family changed.

R & D Center sign

At this trailhead, Douglas County is conducting a research project with the Tri-County Health Department and Colorado State University to study growing fruits and vegetables without using chemicals in the local climate.  The orchard trees include figs and hazelnuts, and an edible honeysuckle called heskap is also being studied in the garden.   The plan is to provide local farmers and gardeners potential groundbreaking techniques for growing foods from around the world naturally that have never been tried here before.  They will publish the agricultural details once they determine how well the plants and trees grow in the greenhouses and orchard here.  Last year 1500 pounds of natural produce was given to the nearby Parker Task Force to feed families.  Tours are conducted throughout the year if you are interested in seeing the garden or fruit trees. The inner gardener in me is pleased the county is willing to experiment and to grow the plants naturally.

Pond

The hike through the open field to Cherry Creek follows the old farm road as it slants downhill toward the trees by the water.  You pass an old pond on the left with a birdhouse perched on the dike.  As you near the creek the trail bends north, then turns back south before crossing it on a steel bridge.  

Cherry Creek flowing north from the bridge

Pausing on the bridge, I watched the water flow by and listened to the birds and the wind in the trees.  I could not hear the highway down here.  I continued on to reach the Cherry Creek Trail.  The paved trail runs north-south here.  To follow the Hidden Mesa Trail, turn right and continue following the trail over the rolling meadow.  At about one third of a mile, the Hidden Mesa Trail turns left and climbs toward the hills to the west.  The web site and trail sign mileages don't seem to match, oh well.  A trail map is available HERE.  This is where I turned around and returned to the trailhead as the sun was setting.  

Go right and turn left onto the Mesa Rim Loop

Even though I was just off the highway, the whole area was peaceful and I noticed I felt relaxed like I do when I hike in the forests.  Night birds were darting about, eating dinner from the bugs buzzing along Cherry Creek.  Several old trees stood tall and quiet as gray sentinels.  An owl hooted from a high branch.  Old, dried and decaying trees laid upon the ground, their age lines, cracks and wrinkles showing unusual bends in the fading light.  I was entranced and enjoyed it.  I will hike the rest of this trail soon!  I walked slowly back uphill to the car.

All of Colorado is a rattlesnake area, right?

Wrinkles

To find the Hidden Mesa Trail, drive east from Castle Rock on highway 86.  At the intersection with highway 83 in Franktown, turn left.  The trailhead is one mile north.  Turn left by the large Hidden Mesa Open Space sign.