The Second Mace Trail, located near the quiet mountain community of Rye, offers a profound immersion into the rugged beauty of the southern San Isabel National Forest. Arriving at the trailhead in Pueblo County, the immediate ground-truth impression is the transition from the rolling plains of the south into the steep, dramatic canyons of the Wet Mountains. This 10.5-mile out-and-back journey is a premier destination for those seeking a long-distance mountain experience where the initial scent of spruce and the cool mountain air set a tone of quiet endurance. Starting your hike here provides a sense of deep disconnection, leading you into a landscape characterized by its impressive verticality and diverse forest ecosystems.
The technical trajectory of the Second Mace Trail is categorized as difficult, featuring a substantial elevation gain of 2,765 feet over its ten-mile span. The climb is persistent and demanding, moving through a variety of forest zones as the path winds higher into the Wet Mountains. Underfoot, the terrain is characteristic of the region’s rugged nature, with sections of rocky tread and well-maintained switchbacks that require a professional level of pacing and endurance. This challenging and predictable profile makes it a pillar for evergreen content, providing a reliable and visually stunning mountain experience that remains a constant for anyone looking to explore the deeper reaches of the southern Pikes Peak region.
For those venturing out with four-legged companions, the dog-friendly report for Second Mace is exceptionally positive, particularly for well-conditioned dogs that thrive on significant mileage and vertical gain. The trail moves through a variety of shaded forest environments, which help keep the ground temperature comfortable for paws even during the warmer months of the southern Colorado summer.
