4 Mount Herman Trail 716 and Monument Rock

I did this trail with SU on the way back to Denver, so I didn't write anything down, and we were just meandering, so again, please forgive vagarities.

Reaching the Mount Herman Trail -Take 25 from the Springs to Monument. Get off at the exit for 105, pass the small downtown, and turn left on Mitchell Avenue. Then turn right onto Mount Herman Road. I am not sure how we found this trail, as I remember it sort of being a bit past a neighborhood. I guess just set your car's trip meter to 5 miles and look for the landmarks on the Atlas para description for 4. (I don't remember the burn area and the first flowing creek, but I had to have found the trail somehow!)

The trail -I remember walking uphill, until we reached an intersection and then turning right. We walked for maybe a mile or so until we started going downhill and decided to turn around. Then we walked back to the intersection and continued straight (what would have been a left before). This wrapped around to a good view area, and then started heading downhill so we again turned around and went back.

Stats -the Atlas says this trail is 2.5 miles roundtrip. I don't know if we actually did the whole trail the way the Atlas intended, but we picked this trail specifically because it was short and an easy drive. No matter which way you take, this is a short and easy trail that could be done relatively quickly in a morning or afternoon hike.

Notes -A real treat was stopping on the way back at Monument Rock off Mount Herman Road (see photos below). Who knew Monument was named after a rock! A real short little jaunt (should take less than 30 minutes) and you can circle the rock and a tiny little pond. Well worth it in my opinion.

We may have tried to look for lunch in "downtown" Monument but couldn't find any, though there is a brewery -Pikes Peak Brewing Company (http://www.pikespeakbrewing.com/) -in Monument for an apres hike, and I'm sure if you looked hard you could find some other places to visit.