Horsethief Park Trailhead

Horsethief Falls Trail is always a delight! Last time I hiked this trail, I split off half way up and did Pancake Rocks (much longer but a fabulous finish) and it rained all the way down. The falls was running with more water volume than I've ever seen. Beautiful day!

Not a bad hike. Easy to access, not a lot of parking, but not a lot of people either. Worth the drive

Starts off a little steep and a lot of loose gravel but gets easier after the first 100 yards. A great hike for checking out the changing of the leaves! The falls were small but a lot of fun to climb around in the rocks. Ready to go again

Great hike near Cripple Creek. NOT for anyone who has issues with lungs or heart. It's a steep walk the first mile or so but levels out. Highly suggest walking to the falls trail. Just beautiful.

One of our favorite hikes close to home, we frequent this trail at least 2 times a week! Absolutely beautiful and even my 6 year old loves it and dog friendly! Just please pick up so we can continue to take doggies!

Superb moderate-difficulty, 4-season, dog-friendly trail with two great destinations!

Horsethief Falls is 3 miles roundtrip. First mile is roughly 10-12 percent grade. Levels out after the turn to Pancake Rocks at the 1 mile point. Falls are fun see and more water in the spring with the snow melt. Lots of large rocks around the falls for a picnic lunch.

Pancake Rocks is 6 miles round trip with a 10-12 percent grade for the first 2 miles. Trail is generally wide and flat with a few washouts that will encourage you to make your own trail at various points. After the main advent it rolls up and down for the last mile. Beautiful vistas that look out over Cripple Creek.

You can do both destinations together for a total trip of around 7.25 miles with 1,710 ft of elevation gain (including some exploring at each destination). AllTrails books the distance at 6.7 miles. Garmin adds it up to be a bit longer.

Horsethief trail to Pancake rocks is a fun and scenic hike! The first two miles are a decent incline, which I was not aware of, and would have been good to know since I brought along a low altitude, out of town guest who struggled a little. But it does eventually flatten out a bit with a final short incline to the pancakes. On a clear day, you'll enjoy the view of the Rockies off in the West. There are also boulders to climb on along the trail.

Awesome hike! Was long and some parts are pretty steep but our 6yo made it through and loved it. We're glad we made it to the top. There weren't too many people on the trail, but a couple of them had dogs off leash, so keep that in mind.

Great area for hiking, riding and sight seeing.

This is the trailhead that leads to both Horsetheif Falls and also to Pancake Rocks. The hike to Pancake Rocks in is moderate in difficulty (some steady climbs and fairly long 10.2 mi) but is certainly worth the time. Keep an eye open for huge mushrooms as well as some interesting flora and fauna. Bring good hiking shoes and plenty of water.

Fantastic views at pancake rock! Prepare for an all uphill hike, esp at the sign that marks 2 miles to pancake rock. The falls were frozen over in November. Great hike!

an incredibly immersive experience during the Autumn time.. there are little 'pit stops' along the highway as well, that you can pull up and do what you do.
great hiking spot here!
this is my personal photography, yes..
be well.

My family enjoyed this hike a lot. We took it to Horsetheif Falls. The beginning is a challenge but it levels out. I went on 7/23/2021 and it wasn't blocked off.

The parking for horsetheif trailhead is a bit small, but so far, I've always found a spot. The weekends might be tricky. From the trailhead, you can reach either pancake rocks or horsetheif falls. To get to both, the hike starts with a few steep switchbacks. The first time I came here, I did the pancake rock hike. For me, it was a slightly difficult but very enjoyable hike. I was definitely already hurting on the way down. The scenery changes throughout the hike which I love. Shady tree-covered paths, a running stream, steep switchbacks, open fields and various rock formations. There was still some snow on the ground a few weeks ago so it doesn't hurt to bring yaktrax. Also, I think the trail could be marked a bit better. I got confused quite a few times on the way up as did other hikers who asked me for directions on my way down. I did horsetheif falls yesterday and it's a much easier more relaxing hike. The small waterfall was cool to see at the end but don't expect anything major! My dog enjoys both of these hikes. No trash cans at the trailhead.

First half mile or so is the most difficult. Beautiful views on the way to the falls. Once you reach the falls you can climb to the top if you go up on the left side. Very peaceful and not many people which makes it even better! Highly recommend!

Really clean trail. A good 6 miles up and back, going up about 1,000 ft. Tough at some parts going up, but we were also a group of people from a much lower altitude anyways. Good sights on the way up and at the top. Would hike again.

Loved the trail. We went all the way to pancake rocks, the views there were amazing. It was challenging for sure but totally worth it.

Great place to hike with three major trails: Horse Thief Park, Horse Thief Falls, and Pancake Rocks.

Amazing trail! Driving there was just good views as well! My 2 year old did about half the trail until he wanted me to carry him. Definitely would do it again!

Easy to miss the small parking lot on the side of road but the trail is amazing. Lightly traveled in winter, full of beautiful snow and peaceful walks. Many options from this trailhead, Pancake Rock and the Horsethief Falls. There are clearly marked trails and signs to keep you going in the right direction.