Hotel Gulch

Hotel Gulch Road is more than just a connector between Highway 67 and Rampart Range Road, it’s a quiet, scenic drive through the heart of one of Colorado’s most unique research forests. Winding beneath tall stands of ponderosa pine, this route passes through the Manitou Experimental Forest, a 16,000-acre living laboratory dedicated to forest and watershed science since the 1930s. If you keep an eye out, you’ll pass by a small cluster of beautiful stone buildings built by the WPA, a reminder of the New Deal era and the deep roots of conservation in this region.

The drive itself is easy and peaceful, with gentle grades and sweeping turns that invite you to take it slow. A few dispersed campsites are tucked along the route, offering a great overnight option for anyone exploring the southern Rampart Range area. It may not have bold obstacles or dramatic overlooks, but Hotel Gulch offers something quieter. An invitation to unwind, explore, and appreciate a corner of the forest where science and solitude go hand in hand.