Hike the Upper Loop Trail

This short spur trail is right off Perkins Central Garden Trail. Most people walk by it because the walkway changes from paved to dirt, but it is definitely a must-see if you're exploring the park.

It climbs just a short amount before reaching the rocks you can climb on. Make sure you take a moment here and look west to admire Pikes Peak off in the distance. The rocks on this loop are available for every visitor to climb on top of, which proves to be a nice change of pace from walking along the concrete paths. With all of the other formations closed to this sort of scrambling (minus a few set aside for permit climbing), it's a fun place to spend the afternoon.

This trail is definitely a short one, but the views are absolutely incredible and makes it worth it.