Link:
www.intemann-trail.com

Directions:

To the Iron Spring Trailhead: Follow the same directions as to Red Mountain Trail. There will be a sign designating the path to Iron Spring as the Intemann Trail, but it is very short and dead ends at the Cog Railway parking lot. Unless you want a side excursion for the full Manitou experience of a mineral spring, stay on Spring Street for a while longer until you reach the main section of trail, which heads east.

To the Manitou Cemetery access point: From Manitou Avenue, turn at the Crystal Park Road stoplight (the road only goes in one direction; it will be a left if you are heading west) and go straight onto Poplar instead of following the road’s sharp curve to the left. Take a right on Plainview, which will take you to the cemetery. Remember to mind the cemetery’s hours if you park inside. The trail is on the far right side partway up the dirt road, marked by a sign and a few boulders.

To the Crystal Park Road access point: Start as above, by turning at Crystal Park Road off Manitou Avenue, but stay on this as it winds through the neighborhood. Go straight through the three way stop at Crystal Hills Blvd, which will be the last intersection before the parking area. Eventually, you will come to the gated community of Crystal Park; there are trailheads on both sides of the road just before the gate.

To the Section 16 trailhead: From Cimarron, if heading east, take a right on 26th St. Turn right at the four-way stop onto Upper Gold Camp Road. If on westbound Cimarron, take a left at 8th or 21st St., turn right at Lower Gold Camp Road, and go straight through the four-way stop. The parking area will be on the right side of the road.

History/Description:
The Intemann Trail is currently divided into two main sections, due to issues of property rights and access. Various trail segments have been built and maintained over the years under the leadership of the Intemann Trail Committee, and only one missing link remains.

At this point, there are eight official access points, but only three have on-site public parking: Iron Spring, Crystal Park Road, and Section 16. With a little innovation, however, it is possible to find parking near most of the others while still respecting private property. For example, it is allowed to park at the cemetery if you keep in mind that the gates close at dusk.

The very western most access point is the Iron Spring Trailhead on Ruxton. The trail wanders around the foothills of Manitou, passing through all of the minor access points—Pawnee Ave., the “Tot Lot” playground, Manitou Springs Middle School, and the Manitou Cemetery. The trail cuts close to civilization and in places, it will follow streets for a few blocks. Just look for the Intemann and Ring the Peak signs. At the cemetery, the trail reaches its dead end and does not resume again until Crystal Park Road.

At Crystal Park Road, the trail extends in both directions. On the right hand side of the road as you approach it, the trail extends westward for roughly half a mile before it reaches private property. It is a short hike that runs almost entirely uphill but offers a nice overlook of the city at its terminus. On the other side of Crystal Park Road, the trail is much longer and eventually reaches its eastern end, Section 16. Partway through this section, there is a trail on the downhill side connecting to Red Rock Canyon Open Space. There are also forks to a seasonal waterfall and to the Palmer/Red Rocks trail.

The Intemann Trail coincides with the Ring the Peak trail network, so don’t be confused if you see double signage.

Each of the Intemann Trail sections offers a nice view of the mountains, foothills, and city. Section 16 is close to Red Rock Canyon and Open Space, and it offers a fantastic overlook of the sandstone formations found there. Others places of the trail take you deeper into the forest and scrub.