Located in the North Cheyenne Cañon Park near Colorado Springs, Helen Hunt Falls is a short, steep hike that offers spectacular views of the Rocky Mountains. They are 11 metres or 35 feet high and are a popular tourist destination. The falls are named for Helen Maria Hunt Jackson (not the Oscar-winning actress. Did you know there’s a Mad About You revival coming?), a poet and writer who was an activist for Native Americans. Situado en el Parque North Cheyenne Cañon cerca de Colorado Springs, Helen Hunt Falls (Cascadas) es una ruta cortita pero con bastante pendiente que ofrece vistas espectaculares de las montañas rocosas. Tienen un altitud de 11 metros. Es un destino popular, y la escritora, poeta y activista para los indígenas Helen Maria Hunt Jackson da nombre a las cascadas y no la actriz quien ganó un Oscar (¿sabías que va a ser un nuevo Loco por ti?). 

My boyfriend and I arrived to Colorado Springs, estimated population 472,688 and metropolitan population 712,327, around 3:30 p.m. We wanted to get in a short hike that evening to prepare for later hikes in the trip, and I had found Helen Hunt Falls as an alternative to the even more popular Seven Falls on Wikitravel. Mi novio y yo llegamos a Colorado Springs, población estimada de 472.688 y población metropolitana de 712.327, sobre las 15.30. Queremos hacer una ruta cortita por la tarde para prepararnos para rutas más largas durante las vacaciones. Había encontrado Helen Hunt Falls como una alternativa al sitio aún más popular, Seven Falls (Siete Cascadas) en el Wikitravel. 

Located 7.2 km/4.5 miles from Colorado Springs, the North Cheyenne Cañon Park is on the National Register of Historic Places and is home to 56 miles (around 90 km) of trails. Our goal was to see the falls. We had to park a little bit away from the visitor centre and falls, as it’s a popular site. By the time we arrived to the visitor centre, it was closed since it was just 5 P.M. Ah well. Ubicado a 7,2 km de Colorado Springs, el Parque Norte Cheyenne Cañón está en el Registro Nacional de Sitios Históricos y hay unos 90 kilometros de senderos dentro del parque. Nuestro próposito era ver las cascadas. Tuvimos que aparcar algo lejos del Centro de Visitantes, como es un lugar popular de turistas. Cuando llegamos al Centro de Visitantes, ya estaba cerrado porque eran las 17.00. Pero bueno. 

The falls themselves are visible from this point as they are right next to the Visitor’s Centre, but there is a short .7 mile (1.13 km) hike that goes up a moderately steep trail to another fall that offers views. We weren’t the only ones doing this trail, and it wasn’t too difficult at all. The views were well worth the effort. Se puede ver las cascadas porque están a lado del Centro de Visitantes, pero hay una ruta cortita de 1,13 kilómetros que sube por una sendero con bastante pendiente a otra cascada con muchas vistas preciosas. No estabamos solos, y no era muy difícil. 

We didn’t stay too long as the clouds appeared threatening. Just as we stopped at a coffee shop (Sacred Ground Café) on the way back to town, the skies opened up and released torrents of rain. We were just in time! No quedamos durante mucho tiempo porque habían nubes que amenezaban. Justo como paramos en un cafetería (Sacred Ground Café) por la vuelta a Colorado Springs, el cielo abrió y lluvió a cántaros. ¡Llegamos justo a tiempo! 

Before the torrential rain, we did happen to see an elk (wapiti for the UK-Irish folks).  Antes de la dilluvia, tuvimos suerte y vimos un uapití/ciervo canadiense.

We ended up trying out Cheddar’s Scratch Kitchen (recommendable) on the north side of Colorado Springs for dinner when the rain let up. The Rocky Mountains are not a place to try to beat the rain. The streets flooded pretty quickly.

It was a great introduction to Colorado. Era una buena introdución a Colorado. 

Ruta 2 de 2019
Ruta: Helen Hunt Falls
1.13 km/7.miles
Nivel: Media-fácil (Por pendiente)/Medium-easy (for incline)