Tons of wildflowers, hummingbirds, mountain blue birds, junkos, and a pair of red tailed Hawks circling overhead. Blake did a good job leading us up the high country of the Rocky Mountains. I’d rate this a moderately easy hike. (3), Images Updated and Revised in 2019 - An opinionated guide to the best hikes in one of Colorado's best hiking areas, the Sawatch and Elk Mountains in central Colorado around the towns of Aspen, Buena Vista, Crested Butte, Marble and Leadville. Elk Mountain is a prominent mountain summit in the Rabbit Ears Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. Parking is somewhat limited, so park along the road somewhere out of the way. And I did miss the left turn mile and half in at first but went back to it. I parked directly on the 4x4 trail as far as I could drive but there is a parking lot across the main road you can park on if you have low a clearance vehicle. The Sawatch and Elk Mountain ranges around Aspen, Leadville, Buena Vista, Crested Butte and Marble, offer the quintessential Rocky Mountain hiking experience with glacial valleys leading to vast alpine expanses sprinkled with glistening lakes amid soaring peaks. (10), Additions & Corrections By definition, a fourteener refers to a mountain peak that has a minimum height of at least 14,000 feet. The Woods Walk, Lower Loop, and Budd Trail are 3 beginner to moderate trails that access spectacular views of Crested Butte Mountain and Paradise Divide. Great views even though it’s incrediblyyyyy smoky. I put Cam's coordinates in google maps and it took me right to the trailhead. (2 ), Dawson's Guide to Colorado Fourteeners Vol. "Lily Lake is a beautiful little mountain lake with an easy trail around … Judd Falls Gunnison National Forest 2.3 mi (RT); 300 ft elevation gain. It’s perfect for everyone - families, couples, singles and small groups. Be very careful on this section of the trail. Who knew? Crystal clear streams, pristine alpine lakes and lush green … Trail is a fairly easy hike along an ATV / snowmobile trail. Long valleys and sun-dappled aspen forested slopes offer unique scenic beauty to the intrepid hiker. A 10-mile dirt road leads to your next adventure, Elk Mountain Ranch. One other pair of hikers, otherwise complete solitude. Scarp Ridge Gunnison National Forest 3.5 mi (RT); 1,350 ft elevation gain. Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' It's worth the hike, though - awesome views from the summit! I have nothing to do for the next four days beyond finding a bit of solitude and treading lightly in body and soul. Oh, Joy! Next comes the alpine layer, known as the “land above the trees.” Here, you’ll spot a different set of greenery, along with birds, elk, and smaller mammals. Go to the top. Shadow Mountain Fire Lookout Trail [CLOSED], Granby Ranch Fraser Canyon Trail [PRIVATE PROPERTY]. The majestic brown animals, a symbol of the American west, dotted hundreds of … The wildflowers were beautiful. Stunning, absolutely stunning end!!!! Easy to find with the app and has a rusty sign right out front, so keep an eye out for that! Needle Rock Natural Area BLM Public Lands 1 mi (RT); 450 ft elevation gain . © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. The directions on the app brought us directly to the trailhead. The trail was a good hike with pretty views of forest, meadows, and grasses. Still some snow on the trail but easily navigable. Once above tree line, just keep heading up and you will find yourself on top of Elk! Trailhead on this app no longer present. Castle Peak is the exception. There are a couple of slightly dodgy segments on the ridge - bad rock and considerable exposure on the Conundrum side - but it's easy enough to get over to Pt 13,540. Spectacular opportunity to own the best value in dude ranching found deep in the Colorado Rocky Mountains! Not once, and I've done the route 5 or 6 times, have I succeeded in hitching a lift along the road back the Cathedral Lk trailhead parking lot... Not the best of finishes to an excellent walk that starts and finishes among the summer crowds but boasts an exhilarating centerpiece. There are breathtaking view of Grand County at the top above the tree line. Our guide was a young man named Blake. Our first time in Aspen. Cattle on the road coming in so drive with caution. Three national forests and six wilderness areas protect this amazing landscape. We are finally back home in Crested Butte, Colorado after our big 3.5-month road trip! --U2, Routes They moved quickly from the forest and soon … In the winter, the mountains are covered with virgin snow and winter wildlife. Sadly clear views of the smoke from the WIlliams Fork fire on the way down. 40° 10' 17.1876'' N, 106° 8' 19.7016'' W. There's also a pink ribbon tied to a tree at the trailhead. You follow the 4x4 trail up the switchbacks until you reach an open meadow the road travels through. Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. (13), Comments "Every poet is a thief." Renowned Elk Mountain Ranch has been the destination vacation for visitors seeking the ultimate dude ranch experience for over 35 years. I'm an out of shape 60 year old who still thinks she can hike. We're backpacking on a loop of about 26 miles through the Elk Mountains' Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness on the western slope of the Rockies, using some of the highest maintained trails in the Lower 48. The trail was a little muddy in parts and there was a good amount of bugs as others have mentioned. Turn left and bushwhack through the trees here as there is no distinct trail from this point. Beautiful trail. We are planning on doing the hike again when the smoke isn't a factor. Very beautiful wild flowers along trail as you go up. The distance between the two peaks is about a third of a mile. The number of hikers fell to an estimated 1,320 last year from 1,508 in summer 2018, according to CFI. The Elk Mountains are a high, rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of west-central Colorado in the United States. Also look for the pink ribbon on a tree. Glad I started early. We saw tons of flowers, the meadow that others have mentioned was beautiful. Published on Jun 5, 2016 We have hiked up Elk mountain in Chilliwack region on 4th June 2016. I was in love with this hike, one of the best I have been on in awhile. The trail is very hard to find, but the AllTrails app makes it a lot easier! Missouri Lakes. Fantastic short hike. Nevertheless, the visitor is offered scenic vistas of dark volcanic breccia worn into spires, towers, stone walls and castle-like formations of immense size. The last mile is open and hot in the sun and smoke. Saw 2 bull moose, a herd of deer and a bunch of marmots and chipmunks on the way in. Maroon Peak stands at an incredible height of 14,163 feet (27th tallest in Colorado), while the North Maroon Peak stands at a whopping elevation of 14,019 feet and is position 50 in the ranking of the tallest peaks in Colorado. The Woods Walk is a popular path between Kebler Pass and the Lower Loop. BEAUTIFUL views on the drive but wanted people to know what they are getting into! This intimate setting on 5 enchanting acres, is nestled in the National Forest at the end of 10 miles of country roads. Looks like Forest Service is trying to restrict vehicles and cure erosion problems. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Elk Mountain Resort is surrounded by a beautiful national forest, attracting visitors from around the world. We tried to hike this one this morning but got 1.5 miles away from trailhead and snow was covering the road :( the road was CO 21. definitely could have walked but we ended up running out of time. Elk Mountain Trail is a 4.2 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. The views were incredible and the actual traverse wasn't extremely difficult making it a good mountain for less experienced hikers. From Electric Pass Peak, head N directly along the ridge towards Hayden Peak. Very disappointing. Unbeatable views at the top. 66 reviews. It was still muddy at places along trail up to meadow and a bit soggy coming out of the meadow. The mountains sit on the western side of the Continental Divide, largely in southern Pitkin and northern Gunnison counties, in the area southwest of Aspen, south of the Roaring Fork River valley, and east of the Crystal River. The hike itself begins with a steady incline up the mountain through a beautifully forested area. Great hike through the forest to top. Trail is apparently seldom used and not well maintained. Gorgeous hike! For example, the Of the larger wilderness tracts in Colorado, the West Elk is perhaps the least well known. There is also a blue post there now someone put in to mark the turn. But really, just the drive up there was spectacular. Hey Kane, just fyi, this is also called the more generic "Four Passes Loop" by trail runners and is considered to be among some of the most difficult and challenging of trail runs. The Elk Mountains and West Elk Mountains, near the ski towns of Aspen and Crested Butte, are arguably the most beautiful mountains in Colorado.The combination of jagged peaks, multi-colored rocks, expansive fields of wildflowers, and vast groves of aspen make these mountains pure alpine eye candy. (217), Climber's Log Entries I grew up in Wisconsin where deer rut in November and was surprised to find a bull sniffing around his sixty-plus harem on the edge of Estes Park. Not too hard to find, just drop pin on all trails trail head.  More Mountains & Rocks, Tellurium, A Rugged Peak Whose Summit I Could Not Reach, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness - Willow Lake, Lost Remuda Basin, Buckskin Pass, Four Days in Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness Area, Sensory Overload in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Fall Break in the Maroon Bells - October 15-18, 2010, Colorado's Elk Range: Four Pass Loop (and More! The top of Elk Mountain offers a spectacular view of Chilliwack, Cultus Lake, and the surrounding Fraser Valley area. When you get to the meadow you can see the four wheeler trail continue .Follow this trail 20 yards or so and go left up thru the clearing following a light trail. This challenging loop takes in both peaks, connecting them via the Wilson River Trail and trail connections on the back sides of both peaks that involve a couple of scramble sections. Elk Range Trail is a 6.3 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Golden, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. Beautiful time of the year to experience fall. It's possible to do a slight variant on the route suggested - one that allows you to take greater advantage of the fabulous views from the Cathedral-Hayden ridge. Start at abandoned forest rd 113 about a half mile north on Rd 112. They rut two months earlier than Wisconsin deer. Pretty decent 360 views - including Rocky Mountain National Park to the NE. The Finding Trail: The days are filled with horseback riding, white water rafting, hiking, riflery, fishing, mountain biking and other activities. After the meadow, turn left and go up the hill to the peak. it's not marked but there is what could be an old sign at TH. Jason answered my call and was accommodating to book us a snowmobile tour for that coming Wednesday. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. West Elk Mountains: Beckwith Pass from Lost Lake Gunnison National Forest 6 mi (RT); 500 ft elevation gain. Then drop down E along the shoulder before heading down to American Lake. The 11,424-foot (3,482 m) peak is located in Arapaho National Forest, 12.9 miles (20.8 km) northwest by west (bearing 301°) of the Town of Granby in Grand County, Colorado, United States. In the summer, you’ll find delicate wildflowers and an abundance of beautiful wild animals. Hiking trails are a path to destruction for Colorado elk Recreationalists in Vail are having a devastating impact on the local herd. It is just past the meadow. Started at 9:30ish back in the car at 12:30. No animals along the trail, only 3 humans and 2 dogs. Excellent place to camp better than to hike. I know! A 10-mile dirt road is your gateway to adventure. The trailhead from the road and transition between the switchbacks and final accent are not well marked, but easy enough to find if you follow the map. The views on the top are absolutely amazing and well worth the hard work to get there! Beautiful at the top. Cool views on the top but the smoke does hinder them. Sunset in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado. ), Photos, Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado, Maps: Maroon Bells, White River National Forest, Paonia Ranger District, PO Box 1030, North Rio Grande Ave., Paonia, Co 81428 (970)527-4131, Gunnison Ranger District, 216 N. Colorado, Gunnison, Co 81230 (970)641-0471, Gunnison Ranger District, PO Box 89, Lake City, CO 81235 (970)641-0471. 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