Pancake Rocks Trail
Pancake Rocks Trail is a 6-mile moderately strenuous trail near Cripple Creek, Colorado that rewards hikers with fantastically curious rock formations and amazing views at the top.
In mid-November and even in bitter temps, the trail still had a fair amount of hikers on it. With a few inches of snowpack, it didn’t require microspikes or Yaktrax, although that would’ve made things a bit easier. Later in the winter season, traction is recommended. I imagine this hike gets pretty crowded in the peak summer months. Like most of Colorado’s popular hikes, the trailhead has limited parking, so either plan to arrive early or be willing to find backup parking or wait for a spot.
The hike begins at Horsethief Trailhead and splits off from there on its own trail which is clearly marked. The trail ascends pretty much right from the start, climbing nearly all of its 1,600-foot elevation gain in the first two miles. The last mile to the top is fairly even with a few ups and downs until you emerge out of the treeline and into a clearing with numerous stacks of flat rocks in various outcroppings.
Time to Complete: 3 Hours Roundtrip
Pancake Rocks Trail Directions
Finding the Pancake Rocks Trail is not super hard if you plug in your directions in advance on your GPS/smartphone. The surrounding area has very spotty cell service, so it’s best to know where you’re going and what to look for before you get to the general area.
Park at the Horsethief Trailhead on the east side of Highway 67, right next to the Midland Terminal Railroad Tunnel.
Cool Things to Do Near Pancake Rocks
The towns of Cripple Creek and Victor, Colorado are 15 and 30 minutes away by car, respectively. Cripple Creek is known for its historic gaming district. Don’t care about gambling? Check out the Outlaws and Lawmen Jail Museum, featured on Ghost Adventures.
➞ Be sure to stop at the Gold Camp Cafe, one of the best coffee shops and lunch spots in the area.
➞ Looking for one of the coolest places to stay in all of Colorado? The Black Monarch Hotel is a creepy-cool, rumored-to-be-haunted boutique hotel in nearby Victor with suites inspired by the famous inventor Nikola Tesla and the equally notorious serial killers H.H. Holmes, Jack the Ripper, and Lizzie Borden, to name a few.
➞ Want more hiking? Check out the Vindicator Valley Trail, an easy 2.1-mile loop touring several historic mining encampments now crumbling away into the hillside.
