Devil’s Backbone

My god I LOVED this place. Absolutely gorgeous and a very gentle hike even for someone who isn’t used to the altitude. Some of the trails were muddy due to the melting snow, but the views were spectacular. One of my favorite hikes I went on this trip!

We have hiked there twice with our grandson (4yo) and his dog. It’s a delightful experience. We especially like The Keyhole. ( Unilocal has a pic of it on the site.)

An easy and interesting hike. You can keep going and going into yawner hills. I think we did around 7 – 8 miles. You can also bike this trail. I was disappointed you can’t actually hand out on the backbone, alas, the monkey in me was not assuaged. Picturesque and pastoral, close enough to Loveland to easily enjoy one of the many delicious breweries afterwards and get rid of your rubber legs. The loop around the more rocky areas was my favorite part.

Looking for a cool place to hike? This is your spot… Despite the heavy foot traffic we encountered today, it wasn’t that bad… The Open Space is so expansive and you’re gaze is forever pulled toward the plentiful vistas, that, really, you don’t much mind those peeps passing you on the trail.
As a climber, I totally wanted to, at least, explore some of the «This is not a trail» trails. Alas, I suppose you can’t climb everything your eyes see. And, if you wanna respect the park and its rules, then just take the views in and be content… Okay. This was the only drawback from a perfect rating… And yes, you’ve already discovered my bias.
Other than that, the park was great. I appreciated the decently clean bathrooms at the trailhead and plentiful parking as others have mentioned. Colorado is wondrously beautiful and this park is yet, another example of its beauty.

Free entrance with plenty of parking. They have a crap station and a water bowl for dogs. Hike north for about 1 mile to get to the Keyhole. After the first .3 miles, turn left into Wild Loop at the split because the right trail has no views.
The trail can be narrow and rocky. There is no shade except at the Keyhole so I would not recommend in 90+ degrees weather. Bulldog did not encounter any rattlesnakes, they are most active during summer evenings between 70 to 90 degrees.

I moved right next to this place last fall, and I’ll never tire of it. I walk my dog here/​do a trail run here at least once a week. I’ve lived in CO ~6 years, and this is a great place for an easy short or long hike (you can hike all the way to the edge of Horsetooth Reservoir if you like). It’s easily accessible, and it’s not a fee area. The only downside is that it can get pretty crowded on the weekends/​on nice days.

Great hike, gorgeous views and not too strenuous.

I was in heaven. Let’s preface this by saying I’m from Illinois… so this is a great place for me (i.e. some of you may find this too elementary). But I’m not looking to bite off more than I can chew while flying solo.
Did a great trail run. Bring water, wear sunscreen = no shade. Well appointed restrooms at the parking lot. Kids can do these trails and there are interactive maps and postings on the hikes. Check the boards at the parking lot for the info. Bikes are allowed on certain paths. I’d be here daily if I was a local. Have fun!

Great place to go for a hike (and i guess a bike)
There are trails that are foot traffic only, and other that allow horses and bikes
Keep a look out for the other types if you are on foot — there are some blind corners,
The views, ahhhh the views! Jagged rocks sticking out of the ground all lines up and cool looking!
You can determine your own distance, there are a couple loops. Just watch out for the afternoon storms!

Two thumbs up for a great place to hike, take your doggie, run, ride your mountain bike. Weekends are busy. Beautiful scenery. Just a few miles out of Loveland on 34 W. I thought the trail was easy to moderate. Try it, you’ll like it.

After a grueling hike at Rocky Mt. National Park, I wanted to do a trail that was a. only a couple of miles round trip, b. wasn’t at 10,000 ft., and c. didn’t take an hour to get to. The Devil’s Backbone was the perfect trail. Rough enough that you could travel 8 miles from the parking lot from Eisenhower Rd. to Horsetooth Mountain, or go 2 miles around the Wild Loop and see the Keyhole, which is what we did. Plus, it was free, the public bathrooms were in decent shape, they had water fountains and a spigot, and separate trails for bikes and horses in certain areas. Beware of rattlesnakes — we ran into one on the trail!

Stunning rock formation, a bit apocalyptic looking. This open space is great for a lunch break or an entire Saturday. It’s proximity to downtown kind of makes it crowed on weekends, but once you get way up in the trail it is not really a problem. The views and sense of solitude are memorable, and in afternoons, the foothill valley catches the sun and makes the valley just GLOW. There’s a neat little keyhole not too far up the hill that is formed into the rocks that funnels the wind — invigorating.
I wish the city of Loveland would reevaluate their existing claim to fame as Sweetheart Capitol (really though?) and plug this natural landmark in instead.

Beautiful trail! Better for beginner hikers or those who need an easy trail. Lots of great photo opportunities.

Devils Backbone is one of many of the areas pretty parks and protected open spaces. It’s not too far from downtown Loveland and is a great place to get away and take a walk with some great views. Even better is that this is a mixed use trail so bring your bike or a horse if you want.
Devils Back Bone gets its name from the crazy rock formations that protrude out from the high hill tops. A more accurate name to describe the actual rocks might be Stegosaurus’ Backbone than the devils; but I haven’t met the devil yet though I know I will. The rocks range two to three stories high and give some great views with high mountain (Longs) peaks in the back drop.
Bring a camera, a water bottle, and a snake bite kit if it’s hot. The snakes are not that bad but the trail does have some signs warning you to stay on the trail or you might run into a rattler. This is a great place to work up a sweat or just take in some great views and relax.