Cottonwood Creek Trail — paved park-start return
Colorado · Greenway
Join the signed main Cottonwood Creek Trail at Cottonwood Creek Park and head west toward the Pikes Peak Greenway for up to two miles, then retrace. Stay on the designated paved course; stop at any street crossing and do not add natural Austin Bluffs tracks or road detours.
Plan your ride
- Location
- Colorado Springs · Colorado
- Ride length
- Up to 4 miles return
- Ride format
- Out and back
- Surface
- Paved urban main trail; natural side trails excluded
- Road crossings
- Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure.
- Elevation
- Creek-side grades, underpass ramps and local climbs; no measured maximum grade.
- Starting location
- Cottonwood Creek Park public Cottonwood Creek Trail access, Colorado Springs, CO
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Approximate mapped public facility reference near the written trail access; not a surveyed entrance or parking stall.
Cottonwood Creek Trail — paved park-start return — detailed guide
Source review: 2026-10-22. A dated source review does not guarantee current-day conditions.
A selected outing on a documented improved bicycle route. Follow the stated public start and course.
Start and parking
Start: Cottonwood Creek Park public Cottonwood Creek Trail access, Colorado Springs, CO.
No verified dedicated trail parking at this named public access. Arrive by lawful public pedestrian/bicycle access, or independently arrange lawful visitor parking and walk to the path. Private, business and reserved lots are not assumed available.
Ride and distance
Selected ride: Up to 4 miles return. Format: Out and back.
Ride: Join the signed main Cottonwood Creek Trail at Cottonwood Creek Park and head west toward the Pikes Peak Greenway for up to two miles, then retrace. Stay on the designated paved course; stop at any street crossing and do not add natural Austin Bluffs tracks or road detours.
Selected outward cap and the same return; turn earlier at the actual route end or a barrier. Parking walks are extra.
Surface and effort
Paved urban main trail; natural side trails excluded. Creek-side grades, underpass ramps and local climbs; no measured maximum grade.
Crossings and shared use
Yield to walkers and slow at junctions. Stop and look at every street crossing; do not use traffic lanes to bypass a closure. Yield to pedestrians, keep right, and slow at blind corners. Stop at barriers; never use a traffic-road detour to bypass a trail closure.
Hours, costs and access
Use daylight and obey posted trail, park and parking hours. Follow current public visitor-parking terms; reserved activities and events have separate conditions.
Reviewed 2026-10-22. City’s route map distinguishes existing pavement, unpaved routes and future trails. Its 2020 completion notice describes the paved commuter connection and remaining Union/Polk crossings; this short park-start return is not a claim all regional network routes are paved or currently unobstructed. This is a source review, not a same-day inspection. Recheck the linked manager before travel.
Map and Directions
Use the named public start and its posted parking signs. The map reference identifies the facility or selected trail area; it is not a surveyed parking stall or navigable route line. Bicycle and e-bike rules can differ; only ordinary bicycle use is established unless noted.