Sentinel Point Summit [Suggest Edits]

Description

Sentinel Point is the second highest summit in the Pikes Peak region at 12,542 feet. You can see for miles in all directions. To the south and west, you'll be treated to views of Cripple Creek/Victor and the active gold mines; further beyond, you can see the majority of the mountains that make up the Sawatch Range.

To the north, you can see the rocky spires of The Crags Trail #664, and further in the distance distinguish the 14,065 foot Mt. Bierstadt as well as 14,264 foot Mt. Evans. To the east, will be the summit of the famed 14,110 foot Pikes Peak and Devil's Playground.

All-Day Hike: Driving Directions: From Colorado Springs take Highway 24 west through Woodland Park to Divide. In Divide, at the stop light, turn left onto Highway 67 toward Cripple Creek. Drive approximately 8 miles until you see the old Midland Railway tunnel. The trailhead is on the Cripple Creek side of the tunnel.

Begin your hike on Horsethief Falls Trail (#704AA). You'll proceed approximately a mile uphill until you reach a marker for the Ring the Peak Trail. Here, proceed left onto Horsethief Park Trail (#704). This section is mostly flat through meadows with beaver ponds and aspen groves. This would be a great spot to camp and the area is so named because it was camp to horse thieves and rustlers during the height of the Cripple Creek gold boom. When you come to a Y in the trail, keep right onto Horsethief Park Trail (#704C) and this trail will soon meet up with the Oil Creek stream bed and begin gaining elevation. Watch for the numerous cairns in this section and proceed until you reach a large boulder field. At the boulder field, you'll find numerous cairned routes, however, the easiest route seems to be to skirt the field to the left. Proceed through this boulder field, and you'll soon reach tree line. Continue to proceed up the mountain following the cairns until you crest the ridge line and the summit of Sentinel Point comes into view. Reaching the summit requires class 3 rock scrambling.

This is a challenging hike that gains several thousand feet of elevation.

Gem Type: Viewpoint