Palmer Lake Reservoir Trail

To find a lake in Colorado’s mountains, you might expect a long venture. And so the scene between the state’s two biggest cities is a surprise: emerald waters between forested slopes that feel remote but are indeed not far from home. This is the experience of the reservoirs of Palmer Lake.

The hamlet north of Colorado Springs is named for the lake at its center. The reservoirs are tucked back in the hills bordering the town, reached from a trailhead below a neighborhood. Right in the neighborhood — so the wild-feeling trek begins.

The wide path — also functioning as a utility road — gradually rises above the creek so that the rushing water is sometimes out of sight but near enough to serenade all along the way. The first, smaller reservoir emerges in about a

See Full Page