What's your favorite place to go camping / hiking / backpacking near Colorado Springs, Colorado?

How about in the national forest around Pikes Peak?

If you are willing to make the drive up to Aspen area, Maroon Bells is a great area. I love the hike up to Conundrum Hot Springs. Castle and Conundrum Peaks are right there too. It's no big secret either, the info is in most Hot Springs books. Ditto on the Buena Vista area as well. I've been on some of the 4x4 roads up that way too. I regularly used to go to Valley View Hot Springs (not much hiking and semi-developed...but good soaking) and I'd frequently roam around that area looking for good trails. To the south are Challenger, Kit Carson, Crestone and Blanca peaks. I've climbed some of them. The 14ers guidebook should be something you should get if you don't alerady have it. Also.. use www.soak.net in conjunction with the hot springs guides, topo maps, and 14ers books and you can usually come up with some good plans yourself. Good Luck.