Hiking in Colorado

Hello,

I am very interested in information and recommendations about when and where to hike in Colorado. I know, this is very general so let me provide some context. When I arrive in Colorado for hiking I will be entering through Fort Collins and heading south, and then flying out of Denver, so geographically I am most interested in the Front Range, the Sawatch Range, and the Elk Mountains. I will be dayhiking only, because I will be travelling with an 8 month old baby. I am interested in day hikes ranging from 1 to 30 miles (I may be able to break away from the wife and baby for a couple longer hikes). When researching hikes I am most interested in alpine scenery and lakes. I will have between 8 and 10 days to devote to day hiking in Colorado. I am not opposed to hiking to summits, and I own the Gary Roach book on 14ers. I have experience at high altitude, and I understand the need for acclimation and will prepare accordingly. I will research more about the altitude considerations with a baby before I hike in Colorado.

So, in a nutshell...

What are a couple really neat longer day hikes, 20-30 miles? I am already zoned in on the "Four Passes Loop" in the Maroon Bells area for one.

What are some more reasonable (1-12 miles) hikes with neat alpine scenery that are suitable to do with a 8 month old baby.

When is a nice time to hike in Colorado, currently I am considering July, will most ranges be more or less melted out by then? I do have flexibility as to when I go so this isn't written in stone.

Where is a good and comparitively inexpensive (not Aspen) base town to explore the Elk Mountains and/or the Sawatch? I have read all the previous posts on VFTT, and Leadville and Buena Vista have been previously mentioned? Any preference among those two?

What is a good base town to explore the Front Range?

I appreciate any insights that the community has, and Thanks!

Steve Hawkins

halfmoon said:

Hello,

I am very interested in information and recommendations about when and where to hike in Colorado.

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I'm sure you will get plenty of good info here, but consider checking out http://14ers.com. They have tons of good info on there as well as pointers to other Colorado hiking organizations and boards.

We're going next summer, and I can't wait!

My son lived in Leadville and is now in Gunnison. Leadville is colorful and a fun place to visit. Tim had recommended Elbert and Massive but bad weather prevented that. We did climb Pike's Peak via Barr Trail. Barr Camp is a great destination. We also enjoyed Bear Peak in Boulder. Have a great trip. Ask me any questions about our experience if you want.

IMHO
Salida is preferred to Leadville. Larger, better stores and restaurants. Better atmosphere. Worth the extra drive. Beuna Vista is nice, but small.

Woodland hotel in Salida is recommended. You might want to get a room with a kitchen.

Late August or even early Sept is preffered to July - less snow and more stable weather.

Roach's book, though a good reference, is quite outdated. I too recommend 14er.com.

Many of the 14ers are barren dusty moutains. Some of them have nice valley approaches down low.

La Plata is nice and less popular.
Challenger and Kit Carson are a challenging and rewarding dayhike
Holy Cross though farther away is nice too.
Of course, I do not recommend these as family hikes.

July should be fine; most major trails will be melted out at least enough to be passable. You will have to contend with near-daily thunderstorms, though, so plan to hike early in the day and have a bailout plan.

To access the Elks, you could try staying in Carbondale or Glenwood. Carbondale is essentially a commuter town for Aspen, but Glenwood is nice in its own right. In the Front Range, try Estes Park or Eldora if you want to be in the mountains, or Longmont or Lyons on the Front Range. Boulder is a great town, but a little pricier to stay there.

There are a number of good trails from the Brainerd Lake area in the Front Range. The ghost town of Hessie also has some good ones, and East Portal accesses James Peak from the north (my preferred route).

There are some terrific hikes in the Gore Range, too, just outside Frisco/Silverthorne, and they are surprisingly little-used for their convenient location. Willow Lakes and a loop around Buffalo Mountain are my favorites.

I'm not as familiar with the Elks, but Snowmass Lake (on the 4 Passes Loop) is gorgeous. I would caution that the 4 Passes Loop is extremely arduous and exposed to inclimate weather.

PM if you want more details. Have a blast!

Colorado

Mt. Bierstadt is a relatively easy summit, not too far off I-70. You hike in the open all the way, and can see any weather moving in from the west. Kite Lake is a nice area for parent and child to hang out while other parent hikes up Democrat.

We really enjoyed the Four Pass Loop this summer. Please feel free to pm me if you'd like more specific information.

I have also backpacked in the La Garita Wilderness, its beautiful yet very remote, so may not be within your comfort zone for hiking with a young child.

Have you looked at the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area? We did some acclimatization hikes there before the Four Pass Loop (its northwest of Boulder, Colorado) and its a beautiful area with closer access to major medical services than Maroon Bells.

John Fielder's "Guide To Colorado's Wilderness Areas" is an excellent resource for planning.

Have a wonderful time and please be sure to post some pictures and a trip report when you return!

Tom Rankin said:

consider checking out http://14ers.com.

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Thanks Tom, I am aware of this site, but have not delved into the trip reports yet. I intend to do so, thanks.

John H Swanson said:

Salida is preferred to Leadville.

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I will indeed look into this, I had not even considered this option, thanks!

blacknblue said:

There are a number of good trails from the Brainerd Lake area in the Front Range.

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I have come across hikes in this area during my research. The Pawnee Pass trail has come highly recommended from one of my sources. I have heard that the Indian Peaks Wilderness is every bit as spectacular as Rocky Mountain National Park (RMNP) without the visitation that RMNP sees.

blacknblue said:

To access the Elks, you could try staying in Carbondale or Glenwood. Carbondale is essentially a commuter town for Aspen, but Glenwood is nice in its own right. In the Front Range, try Estes Park or Eldora if you want to be in the mountains, or Longmont or Lyons on the Front Range. Boulder is a great town, but a little pricier to stay there.

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Perfect, just the kind of info I was looking for, I appreciate this!

una_dogger said:

Have you looked at the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area?

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Yes, quite a bit actually. There are several hikes in this area that have caught my eye, including an apparent really nice loop hike that crosses Pawnee and Buchanan Passes. I will definitely look more into this area.

una_dogger said:

John Fielder's "Guide To Colorado's Wilderness Areas" is an excellent resource for planning.

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I too have this book, and prefer it over the Falcon guidbook to hiking Colorado and The Mountaineer guidebook. IMO this is the best Colorado hiking guide that I am aware of.

Thanks again everyone.

avk4316 said:

Mt. Bierstadt is a relatively easy summit, not too far off I-70. You hike in the open all the way, and can see any weather moving in from the west. Kite Lake is a nice area for parent and child to hang out while other parent hikes up Democrat.

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FYI the loop including mt democrat has had serious access issues for 2 years running, I would not suggest that as a hike at this time.
I also agree Salida first, Buena vista second and Leadville third for lodging and or hanging out.
Peaks I would climb, Princeton, Castle, Longs, Evans/Bierstadt(loop) Greys and torries(loop). Beware if youve never climbed in the Elks, although Castle isnt to bad the rest of the range is loose.
As far as guides, I would still use Roaches.

Am a bit surprised no one has mentioned Rocky Mtn NP, just west of Estes Park. Estes is a bit spendy to spend any extended periods in, but has some of the best views anywhere in Colorado, IMHO. Skyline drive (I think that's the name) has some extended driving above 12,000'. There's a great dayhike for a little one in a backpack from Bear Mtn up to Flattop, and also Hallets (I might have the order reversed). Not 14'ers, but still exceptional views, and you often see elk, marmots and pica along the way.

For yourself, Longs Peak is nearby.

I wouldn't suggest Rocky Mtn NP for the entire vacation, but it's proximity to Ft Collins/Denver make is quite accessible either at the beginning or end of your trip.

Also, when you say you'll be 'entering thru Ft Collins" - are you flying in there? If you were driving down from the north from NB or WY, I can give you some suggestions re: coming thru Medicine Bow for some spectacular scenery and lots of pronghorn.

Kevin Rooney said:

Am a bit surprised no one has mentioned Rocky Mtn NP, just west of Estes Park. Estes ...has some of the best views anywhere in Colorado, IMHO.

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I will definitely be spending some time in RMNP and Indian Peaks, probably 2-4 days. Hikes that have caught my eye in RMNP include Ypsilon Lake where you can bushwack up to the next cirque which holds Spectacle Lakes, and then if energy permits, summit Ypsilon Mountain. There are several other hikes that have piqued my interest on the Estes side of RMNP; The Tonahutu Loop and the Lake Agnes Area...too much!

Kevin Rooney said:

For yourself, Longs Peak is nearby.

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I have also considered this based on the sheer number of superlatives bestowed on this peak from the reading I have done. This hike is also attractive in that the hike into Chasm Lake is also reputed to be quite spectacular. This would be a nice hike for mom and baby while I continued on to Longs.

Kevin Rooney said:

Also, when you say you'll be 'entering thru Ft Collins" - are you flying in there? If you were driving down from the north from NB or WY, I can give you some suggestions re: coming thru Medicine Bow for some spectacular scenery and lots of pronghorn.

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I will have the distinct pleasure of visiting Gordon, Nebraska (population 1561), my wife's (VFTT = pudgy_groundhog) hometown, on this trip. We will fly into Denver, drive to Gordon, NE where we will spend a week. Then we will travel back to the Rocky Mountains for some hiking. We will be travelling the I-76 corridor into Denver. I am not familiar with Medicine Bow. I will google this and educate myself. If it is along our route, then I would love to hear about it.

Thanks, Kevin.

Kevin Rooney said:

...I can give you some suggestions re: coming thru Medicine Bow for some spectacular scenery and lots of pronghorn.

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Holy Crap! I just googled "Medicine Bow", and wow! I didn't even know that area existed, and I usually pride myself on knowing the USA Ranges. I will defintely look into this a little closer. I would be willing to divert a little westward to explore this area if my schedule permits. Thanks for making me aware of this area.

I just picked up a new colorado hiking guidebook that just got released this year, and it's fantastic. There's lots of personal touches & opinions throughout the book (including a best-of section).

It's called "Best Summit Hikes in Colorado" by Wilderness Press. Highly recommended.

halfmoon said:

Yes, quite a bit actually. There are several hikes in this area that have caught my eye, including an apparent really nice loop hike that crosses Pawnee and Buchanan Passes. I will definitely look more into this area.

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Nederland is a great little mountain town to hang out in, great brew pub, very nice food coop, very hip feel beautiful scenery -- easy proximity to both Indian Peaks WA and Boulder. Guess it all depends on what you are looking for, but the Boulder area for us was just the ticket for acclimatization hikes, day tours, great beer and food pre and post our Four Pass Loop.

The Boulder Hostel has private rooms for about $50 per night, but can be noisy as its right in the heart of UC Boulder campus, and it is a hostel...so...
its a pretty clean and cheap place to stay if you find yourself in Boulder.

I also seem to recall that the mountain town of Buena Vista, on Rt 24 south of Leadville in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area was a beautiful location, as well, although we didn't stay there, just drove through on the way to Gunnison -- so maybe others can comment in depth on this area.

About 19 years ago (wow! been a long time) I took a horsepacking trip in the West Elk Wilderness -- another great area.

Then there is the Weminuche...so many wilderness areas, so little vacation time!

Enjoy your planning!

halfmoon said:

Holy Crap! I just googled "Medicine Bow", and wow! I didn't even know that area existed, and I usually pride myself on knowing the USA Ranges. I will defintely look into this a little closer. I would be willing to divert a little westward to explore this area if my schedule permits. Thanks for making me aware of this area.

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I just looked at Yahoo Maps between Gordon, Nebraska and Laramie, Wyoming (the jumping off place for Medicine Bow). Looks like US20 from Gordon to I25 and SW on WY34 and about the same difference milage-wise, more or less, as I76. Helleva lot more scenic, too. Don't know why, but almost never see anyone in that NF area - although there's not alot of people who live in Wyoming. Not that I'm complaining ...

You might also consider taking that route TO Gordon, rather than from.

Anyway, just another option.

What everyone else said.

I'd also highly recommend the Jefferson County Open Space Parks just west of Denver. Oodles of miles of trails with some nice little acclimatization peaks in 20+ parks, also loops that your wife and baby could do. The trails are great for running too!

Sue

I visited CO in 2006, now I live here.

About the front range:

The front range is incredibly diverse in terms of scenery. I think it is hard to justify basing in one town, but there are a few places worth visiting.

1) Boulder, CO. The downtown area is a neat place to spend the day. IMO a must see. I probably am in Boulder 1x a week now. Great vibe, great hiking. Check out the Flatirons for some nice hikes, especially the Royal Arch. You can also visit Eldorado Canyon for some nice hiking. Great for aclimating.

2) Rocky Mountain National Park. Poke around the park and you will find some Elk for sure. There are campgrounds in Estes park which are situated in beautiful valleys.

3) Garden of the Gods. Awesome scenery, worth the 1 hour drive from Denver. You can also drive up Pikes Peak, or visit a cliff dwelling museum if you are so-inclined.

What kind of base-camp are you looking for? Cabins? Campground? Hotel?
I stayed at Yogi's in Lyons, CO, just outside of Estes park. This is a fun, family friendly atmosphere. The cabins are reasonably sized, and the bathrooms were clean. It is within 45 minutes of Boulder, 20 minutes to Estes. One catch, its at an altitude of 7500 feet, so it might not be the best place to stay the first couple of nights. Boulder itself is a tough place to stay if you aren't looking for pricey/hotelly.

About the Sawatch:

If I were going for the most bang for my buck, I would do a collegiate traverse of Yale and Harvard. Beautiful scenery.

Leadville is a pretty good place to find a hotel. There are a few reasonably priced places < $100/night. The problem with Leadville is that at 10,200 feet, it may not be a comfortable place to rest your head. On the other hand, one beer goes a long way...

There is a really nice hot springs with reasonable prices near Beuna Vista. This might be a good option if you are going to leave your wife and child behind for a day. The problem with both Leadville and Buena Vista is that there is not much to do there but stare at the mountains...

Feel free to contact me with any other questions.

cheers.
-chris

We hiked and climbed in the Flatirons and Eldorado for a week this summer. I'm no Colorado expert, but that was a very nice area. We stayed in Boulder. Have fun, wherever you choose to go!

BTW, if in Boulder, the Boulder Whole Foods has a very excellent prepared foods section with nice eat-in area, including some of the best made to order breakfast burritos we've ever had -- fast, healthy eats and cheaper than most restaurants. Free water to fill your pre hike nalgenes with, too.



(For WF devotees, Boulder hands down has the best WF we've ever shopped at, IMHO)

And while in Boulder, you must visit Neptune Mountaineering !!!