Rampart Reservoir is one of reservoirs that supplies Colorado Springs with drinking water. While it is open to the public and there is a recreation area where you can camp and enjoy the area, there are restrictions on what you can do. While you can boat, fish and picnic, you cannot swim or wade in the water. There are great hiking trails around the area and that is what we did when we went there in the early October one sunny Sunday afternoon.
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| From Rampart Res |
The reservoir is large and spreads out over dozens of square miles. It’s at a very high elevation 10,000 ft in the front range mountains, with Pike Peak in the background it a spectacular sight on a beautiful day.
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| From Rampart Res |
Even though it was a bit cool the sunshine at the high altitude has heated the rocks to a nice warm temperature and it was pleasant to sit on them and feel the heat radiated back.
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| From Rampart Res |
Like most reservoirs the water level fluctuates widely with the seasons and that make for stark and interesting formations along the shoreline.
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| From Rampart Res |
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| From Rampart Res |
As we hiked along the shoreline trails, following little fingers of water that fill the once dry mountain valleys, different landscapes take shape.
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| From Rampart Res |
Looks like someone painted here
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| From Rampart Res |
Interesting rock formation often require climbing them for closer inspection
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| From Rampart Res |
A picture on the top
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| From Rampart Res |
Getting back down is not always as easy are going up.
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| From Rampart Res |
We ultimately hiked about 1/3 of the way around the reservoir in half a day, but did not have time left in the to completely circle it, so we had to retrace our steps and return to our Jeep.
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| From Rampart Res |
All in all a worthwhile day hike if you are in the Colorado Springs area someday.
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