Rampart Range Recreation Area

Thanks to the Conservation Corps for building this highway (Trail) from Heaven. It's not a 4WD Trail but if you have an off road vehicle the Trail that runs next to it is awesome. The views are nothing but spectacular. Camping, hiking, MXing and 4WDing all to be done.

Seeking something close to home, yet far enough away to call it a "getaway" this past Memorial Day a group of friends, the BF, and myself loaded up the camping gear and headed south to Rampart Range Recreation Area! ++ There's some first come first serve (for my favorite price: FREE) camping along Rampart Range Road. If that's full by the time you arrive, there is an actual campground (Flat Rocks Campground) nearby. I think it's $5 a day to camp there.++ All the campsites are nice and large! So our group of three tents, a camper, and corresponding vehicles had more than enough space to spread out. Next time I think we'll bring even more people!++ We were on the east (?) side of Rampart Range Road. Just a short distance down the hill from our campsite we had access to a large meadow for our groups dogs to play in and a really serene grove of aspen trees. +/- There are some vault style toilets at various locations along Rampart Range Road; for when the woods aren't your first choice. +/- All campsites are fairly close to the road and easy to get in and out of. They almost all have two entrances, so you can pull right through. Which is a huge perk if you have a trailer or other large vehicle.-- Most of the campsites don't have much, if any, privacy. There are several that have absolutely NO shade either. No thanks!-- Since this area is known for it's easy to access trail system for OHV (Off Highway Vehicles) don't plan on sleeping in! Riders are pretty respectful and don't seem to hit the trails until close to 9am for the most part, but you sure know when they do!With it's favorable location I'm sure that I'll be back for another weekend camping getaway.**Pro-Tip: No shooting here! So leave the guns at home folks. Also, if OHV are not your thing, head south on Rampart Range Road and you will eventually come to the Devil's Head Lookout Trailhead!

An awesome area... at least during years when there aren't any forest fires nearby! The Rampart Range Road is a well-maintained dirt road that cuts through a large swath of territory between Denver and Colorado Springs. As an "off roading" trail the road presents no real challenge, since it is wide, flat and well-maintained. But the scenery beats the hell out of I-70. The real advantage of the road and the surrounding area is that it connects to dozens of other smaller off-road trails, OHV trails, hiking trails, picnic areas, camping sites, etc, etc, etc. Basically any possible outdoor activity you can imagine is possible from somewhere off of this road.

Seriously, this is where I want my ashes scattered when I die. No joke. If you are into riding dirt bikes, and are tired of the monotony of the track, try something completely different. Rampart Range is a trail system located in the South Platte Ranger District of the USDA Forest Service. The trails are maintained by the Rampart Range Motorcycle Management Committee, and volunteers. These trails are amazing! Considering the vastness of them, and the amount of damage done to them by constant use, and weather, they are in GREAT shape. There are definitely some areas that need repair every year, and I have had my share of crashes from getting caught in ruts or hitting boulders, but hey, that's part of the fun! If you are not into motorized fun, there is a great walking trail that brings you to the top of Devil's Head, where there is another 100 and something steps up to a tower where the forest rangers watch for fires throughout the area. The view is absolutely breath taking. Make a weekend of it and camp out in one of their camp sites. Just don't be surprised if you awake to the sound of a two stroke dirt bike going by!

Fall is here and I've found myself reminiscing of warm summer retreats.My first experience with the Devil's Head trail (a part of Rampart Range) was when I saw a picture. Oddly enough it was a picture taken by my ex husband's new girlfriend (at the time) that brought me to drive past Sedalia in search of a little hike to amazing scenery. The road that leads you in turns to dirt quickly and is about 10 miles long, twisting, turning and hole-y. (Side note: I would recommend not speeding on these roads to avoid colliding with any other vehicles you come across, occassional dirt-bikers included). It has since become my favorite place to throw on the water-and-Larabar-stocked backpack and step up steadily to a breath-taking view (not to mention the several scenic sensations along the way). It is a fairly easy hike which I believe to be just over a mile up. At the top is the last operating fire tower in Colorado - manned by a seemingly content elderly man whose cabin sits at the top of the trail about 500 feet from the base of the many (emphasis on -many- stairs you climb to reach an amazing 360 degree view of Colorado.I've introduced many friends - both natives of Colorado, adopteds of Colorado, and out of staters to this trail. My favorite companion, however, is my toddler who impressively kept up with my usual pace as we tackled the well marked trails and off-trail rocks that brought us the views we drove out to find awe over. I look forward to the next time I am graced with the reprieve this little hike affords.

What a great time. Went out riding / dodging the trees for a few hours this weekend it was fantastic. The trails are great for anyone past the beginner level. I have said it over and over - you can not have more fun for the money. So this is my advice: get on craigslist, buy a used xr250 for maybe $1,200.00 and I guarantee you will agree you can't have more fun per dollar.

Used to be an awesome area, but went to complete sh_t the last 10 years. BLM got so sick of it they finally made it fee camping. Yet we drove through there and see piles of trash left behind that they just leave there for the next camper???? WTF? On our last visit we passed up 3 sites due to this. Lots of people running generators, driving their atv's illegally on the main road, ignoring the dozens of signs which clearly state you cannot do that. Where are the Rangers? Step up your game BLM.

Place is great. Only down fall is the ranger for the area does not have alot to do so keep in mind your children will be harrased. To bad makes Colorado look bad.

Been riding at Rampart for 25 years used to be a great place but now there are far too many people so what does Rampart management do? They eliminated one of the trails the more extreme Trail at the parking trailhead at Highway 67. This forces everyone onto the boring beginner Trail next Rampart road. This will surely create many more collisions. Used to be I could ride the advanced Trail to avoid the beginner and intermediate riders. It was some of the best riding on the whole trail system, But now with everyone forced onto the boring Beginners Trail it's ridiculously dangerous! I imagine they eliminated the advanced Trail because people not skilled enough for it we're getting hurt on it so now the good old Democratic way that everybody gets to pay! I'm sick of that logic. What they've done will create more injuries than ever!Also with all the homelessness in Denver all the free camp spots have people living in them. I am a native of Colorado I used to really enjoy this place it really sucks what has happened up there. I won't be back!