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Length: 10.6 miles (out and back)
Difficulty: Moderate
Trailhead: Palmer Lake Reservoir (39.11885, -104.92116)
Why we love it: Check out remarkably preserved fuselage, wings, and other debris from a 1952 plane crash site—and get it all to yourself. A 5.3-mile approach keeps the crowds at bay.
When to go: Year-round; carry traction devices in winter.
Pre-hike fuel: Down a crepe from Speedtrap in Palmer Lake. Savory: Go with smoked salmon asparagus. Sweet: Nutella, of course.
Post-hike buzz: Anyone who logs 10 miles on the trails deserves a margarita in a goblet, and that’s exactly what you’ll get at Palmer Lake’s Sasquatch and Yeti Taqueria.
Restrooms: Find a restroom bank at the nearby Glen Park, a block east from the trailhead on Lovers Lane.
Dogs: Not allowed
Colorado has no shortage of hikes to alpine lakes, hidden waterfalls, and cloud-kissing peaks, but if you’re looking for an adventure that’s a little more unconventional, this dayhike in Palmer Lake will deliver. Discover a sobering slice of history beneath a canopy of conifers when you reach the remnants of World War II and Korean War veteran Captain Sidney Harrison’s Cessna O-1 Bird Dog. Harrison crashed the fighter plane during a snowstorm in 1952 on his way to Denver’s Buckley Air Force Base.
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To find the crash site, take off west on the La Deux Reservoirs Trail from the Palmer Lake Reservoir trailhead. It’ll join Balanced Rock Road just shy of a quarter mile in—but don’t fret, the doubletrack jaunt doesn’t last long. Trade the road for scenic singletrack near mile 0.8, where you’ll pick up the Ice Cave Creek Trail and begin climbing switchbacks with views east over Palmer Lake and the reservoir to the plains dotted with mesas. Negotiate some scrambly sections as you ascend above the boulder-strewn Ice Creek Ravine.
Near mile 1.6, hit a T-intersection and split east on the Swank Trail. Wend through a forest with pockets of white-and-purple columbines, orange wood lilies, and pink-stalked pinedrops throughout the spring and summer. Bypass the junction with the Ice Cave Cliffs Trail, and make an easy, mile-long descent through ponderosa pine forest as the trail snakes north.
Reach the Sidney Harrison Connector Trail near mile 3.7 and veer west (hiker’s left). Pick your way through a marsh filled with grabby willows before leaving the creek bed and crossing an aspen-lined meadow. Gain more than 600 feet of elevation over the next half mile to reach the Harrison Plane Crash Trail.
From here, it’s a leisurely stroll—just over half a mile south and west—to the plane crash site. The thinner conifers and aspens yield views of Pikes Peak’s granite spires as the path flattens out.
A small American flag marks the crash site, where the plane remains mostly recognizable, despite being exposed to the elements for more than 70 years. The most striking evidence that the Cessna didn’t crash yesterday is the tree that grows through the remnants of the cockpit. While hikers have vandalized the debris over the years, remember to leave no trace; not only is this a beloved natural area, but it’s also a veteran’s memorial.
Retrace your steps on the return.
Getting there: From Denver, take exit 163 off of I-25 south and head west on Palmer Divide Road toward Palmer Lake. After 2.5 miles, link Spruce Mountain Road, CO-105, and South Valley Road about a mile to Old Carriage Road. Follow it 0.2 miles to the small parking lot for the Palmer Lake Reservoir trailhead.
Read more: Our Favorite Close-to-Home Hikes
