Stanley Canyon Reservoir Hike starts from the US Airforce Academy (public access) and is one of the most popular hikes in Colorado Springs. It is heavily trafficked and frequently used by locals as a fitness benchmark. The trail starts out on a fire road and quickly picks up elevation with 1,000+ feet of scrambling up a creek bed during the first mile. The second mile+ to the reservoir is more gradually sloping allowing for a transition to trailrunning after the initial exhausting climb. Turn around at the trail junction at the reservoir. The descent is via the same route to the parking lot and is a very technical run due to the terrain and elevation loss.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/stanley-canyon-trail-to-stanley-reservoir
