8 Mile Dirt Road Loop 6700-7800 Altitude

High Drive and Gold Camp Road form a scenic mountain circuit in southwestern Colorado Springs. The smooth dirt road runs along the side of the mountains and then comes back through a scenic canyon.

To get there, head south from Route 24 on 26th Street, which turns into Bear Creek Road and then ends at Gold Camp Road. Go straight across Gold Camp and park in the small parking area.

Head east and then south on Gold Camp Road. After the first right hand bend, Gold Camp runs fairly straight south on its way up a slight hill with views of Colorado Springs on the left. After about three miles, the road makes a sharp turn to the west as it enters Cheyenne Canyon, and it turns to dirt. At this point, Gold Camp Road towers 500 feet above the Cheyenne Canyon road and is one of the best views in this area.

A half mile past the bend, the road passes through an old tunnel. It's 100 yards long and too dark to see anything except the blinding light of the exit. A mile later is a second shorter tunnel.

A half mile past the second tunnel is the big parking lot on Upper Gold Camp Road. This is the parking area for all the trails of Cheyenne Canyon, and is normally pretty busy. As you pull into the parking lot, make a turn to the right, which is the entrance to High Drive.

High Drive is a one-way road that winds uphill through the forest for about a mile, topping out at an old foundation called 'Captain Jack'. The road then starts a two and a half mile downhill, weaving though tall forest with no sign of the nearby town. A mile and a half past the foundation is the gate for the Bear Creek Canyon trail. And after another mile, you're back at the parking lot where you started.