Colorado · Hiking
Hiking in Guffey, Colorado
Guffey sits in the middle of Park County at roughly 8,500 feet, surrounded by a loose network of forest roads, ranch tracks, and trail corridors that most Front Range hikers have never heard of.
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View on mapHiking · 38 spots
Guffey sits in the middle of Park County at roughly 8,500 feet, surrounded by a loose network of forest roads, ranch tracks, and trail corridors that most Front Range hikers have never heard of. The 38 hiking routes listed here range from the well-worn Guffey Gorge Trail — a short but dramatic walk through a volcanic rock canyon — to long forest-road walks like Thirtynine Mile Road, Paris Creek Road, and Pruden Creek Road that see almost no foot traffic on weekdays. Castle Mountain Pass offers the most obvious elevation gain in the area, while Lakeview Trail and OKR Trail are the routes most likely to appear on a printed map. The rest — Globe and Anchor Road, Mud Winching Road, Dicks Peak Road, Rye Slough Road — are the kind of routes you walk because you want solitude and don't mind navigating on your own. Cell service in Guffey is unreliable, the nearest full-service town is Cañon City or Woodland Park, and afternoon thunderstorms roll in fast from late June through August. None of these routes require technical gear, but the elevation and remote character mean you should treat even a road walk here with more preparation than you would a groomed trail closer to Denver.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best time of year to hike around Guffey?
Late May through early October is the practical window. Snow can linger on higher routes like Castle Mountain Pass into June, and the forest roads become muddy and sometimes impassable after spring snowmelt. July and August offer the most reliable conditions underfoot but bring daily afternoon thunderstorms, so plan to start early and be off exposed terrain by noon.
Which hike is best for first-time visitors to the area?
Guffey Gorge Trail is the most straightforward starting point — it's short, the canyon scenery is immediately rewarding, and it gives you a feel for the terrain before you commit to a longer forest-road route. If you want more mileage, Lakeview Trail and OKR Trail are the next most navigable options.
Do I need a permit or pass to hike these routes?
Most of the listed routes run along county roads or National Forest access roads, which are generally open to the public without a permit. That said, some roads like Forest Road 270.A fall under San Isabel National Forest jurisdiction, so it's worth checking current access status with the Pikes Peak Ranger District before your trip, especially if roads have been closed for fire or weather damage.
What gear should I bring for a day hike out of Guffey?
Bring more water than you think you need — there are no reliable water sources along most of the road-based routes, and the dry high-altitude air dehydrates you faster than you expect. A rain layer is non-negotiable from June through August. Because cell service is poor throughout the area, a downloaded offline map or a paper topo is genuinely useful, not just a backup.
Are the forest roads like Pruden Creek Road and Thirtynine Mile Road hikeable or are they active vehicle roads?
Most are active roads that also see foot traffic, meaning you may encounter trucks, ATVs, or ranching vehicles. They are hikeable and often very quiet on weekdays, but stay to the side and treat them as shared-use corridors rather than dedicated trails. The upside is that they are easy to follow and rarely require route-finding skills.
