Pine Valley Ranch

This past week, we were searching for a hike that was relatively quick, but interesting and had activities for non-hikers. It was my wife's father's birthday, and he loves hiking; however, others in the family don't much care for it, so we wanted to find the perfect solution for everyone. Enter Pine Vally Ranch Open Space, in Pine, CO. This park provides a beautiful picnic spot right on a great section of the North Fork of the South Platte, and also houses a great little lake full of stockers for a fun afternoon of fishing. There are plenty of covered areas in the main picnic section, and a great light stroll along the river. It's an excellent place to take kids, dogs, etc. for a bit outdoor time. And, to boot, although the main park is quite busy on summer weekends, the trail that circles the park (and connects with the Lost Creek Wilderness area) always seems to be mostly empty.

View from the Top

The hiking trail itself begins at either the East or West ends of Pine lake, and provides a nice three mile loop. If you begin at West end, there's an initial stair climb that can prove to be a bit of a thigh burner, but the views from the upper portions, where railings have been affixed to the huge rocks, are pretty amazing. After you crest the hill, veer to the left, and continue on past the stationary maps; then, when you connect with "Strawberry Jack Trail," head right. You will then head down a solid grade and finally meet up with "Buck Gulch Trail," which leads back to the East end of the lake. We prefer, though, beginning at that East end, and doing the hike in reverse, as the climb is a bit more gradual, and access to the great views is better on the way down. Make sure to pack sunscreen, as a good portion of the hike is in burn areas, and coverage is limited. The hike takes about an hour and a half at a moderate speed.

On your way out of the park, stop in at Zoka's (you head in to Pine, and through town), where you can get a good sandwich or nice elk medallion, along with a dog friendly porch and kid friendly bento boxes. Or, if you're in the mood for something a bit more "old school Colorado," try the Bucksnort for a beer and their famous burgers.

To get there: Heading South on 285, past Conifer, take a left on Pine Valley Road / Co RD 126. At 5.9 miles, you'll take a right on Crystal Lake Road, and follow that all the way in to the park, which is clearly marked.

Mt. Bierstadt--14,060 Feet of Gorgeous!

Now that the school year's started, the wife and I felt a bit of the "Empty Nester" syndrome, and decided to take on a big hike during that new eight hour span of freedom. Reviewing the distance to summit this very close 14er, we assumed that we could drop the kids at the bus, do the hike, and be back in plenty of time to meet the bus in the afternoon, but sometimes assumptions and nature don't get along too well. . .

View of the Peak from the Trailhead

After getting everyone up, moving, and a variety of lunches packed, we jumped into the car and headed up to the trailhead at the top of Guanella Pass (which connects the 285 and 70 corridors from Grant to Georgetown). It's a beautiful drive, and you pass a good number of beautiful and free National Forest campgrounds along the way. The trailhead has a very nice, big parking lot (which was surprisingly full on this Thursday hike), and the views of the mountain are breathtaking.

High Mountain Stream

There had been a good deal of rain the evening before our hike, and we did get some sprinkles during the drive up, which made us momentarily reconsider the trip, but decided to push on. We arrived at the trailhead at 9:30, which is very late to start a big hike like this one, but we engaged in the hike, hoping to beat the weather. It sprinkled for much of the ascent, but the skies really never opened up. The really dense fauna, strewn with all different sizes of glacial boulders, in combination with the very low and soggy clouds, make the first 2/3 of the hike feel almost like what I'd imagine a stroll in the Scottish Highlands would. Before the real ascent begins, you meander through very thick bushes on a well marked trail, with nice bridges over the boggier sections. There's also a beautiful stream that cuts through the meadow. The first mile or so would make a great light family outing, and could serve as a fun introduction to Colorado's super high country for kids. But, I digress.

Bouldering to the Summit

Although Bierstadt is considered one of Colorado's "beginner" 14ers, the ascent is quite steep, even grueling at times. As this was my wife's first really big hike, we set a pretty mellow pace, and stopped frequently for water and rest. The initial part of the ascent climbs though dense alpine tundra plant life, and is comprised of pretty manageable switchbacks, but then heads straight up the hill when you begin to make the final transition to the boulder fields at the end of the hike. We made it to the summit at about 1:00, which was about an hour longer than we'd originally assumed, and made us nervous about getting back to meet the bus at 4:30. Luckily, though, the mobile reception was great at the top, and we were able to connect with family members to get them to meet the bus. This ended up being a great move for us later in the hike.

At the summit, we were met by some pretty stingy sleet, and even a bit of hail, and the view was completely consumed in clouds, so our celebration was pretty short lived, and consisted of really just snapping a few pictures. We stopped for a quick lunch at the flat just below the summit, but got moving quickly to get down to flat ground before any big weather might hit. The decent was pretty standard--the classic knee and thigh burner, but we were making pretty good time down the hill. Then, it happened--the skies opened up, and the downpour began. I've honestly never seen this much water fall from the sky, and it continued to come down for two straight hours. We both had good rain coats, but neither of us had packed rain pants; so, needless to say, we were drenched from the waist down, and cold! The trials all turned into little brown rivers at that point, and our decent was slowed to a crawl--in fact, probably doubled. Luckily, we both were able to just laugh through it together. We made it to the car right at about the time we were supposed to meet the bus, and so celebrated the call we'd made earlier. The day was a good lesson in respect for the real power that mother nature really does wield.

We made it, though, and here's our trophy-->

USGS Survey Marker--Mt. Bierstadt

To get there: From 285, Go South through Bailey and Shawnee, and take a right on Co RD 62 (Guanella Pass) in Grant. The trailhead is at the summit of the Pass. You really can't miss it.

Tanglewood Trail

Tanglewood Creek

In preparation for some bigger hikes, the family and I decided to spend a few hours this week exploring the Tanglewood trail, which is one of the main entrances to the Mt. Evans Wilderness Area from this part of the 285 corridor. We were pleasantly surprised to find this lush, green hike nestled in so close to home. The trail follows Tanglewood Creek for the first three miles or so, and the well fed plants and constant trickle of the stream provided one of the nicest hikes I've been on in some time. You begin the hike well below treeline at a clean bright parking lot, and immediately see some great camping spots right off the beaten path--they're close-in, but feel secluded and private. As you head up the hill, there are tons of little hidden escapes like these, which are perfect for picnicking or a longer overnight stay.

We immediately began noticing the great variety of flora along the path, and topping the list were countless mushroom and toadstool varietals. It was fun getting the kids to pick out all the different types of fungi along the path--we turned it into a fun little naming game, in fact. My favorites were the ones that looked like new red potatoes, but I think my daughter liked the burnt marshmallows the best. For mid-August, the number of flowers still in bloom was quite impressive, and the kids found a ton of wild strawberries and raspberries along the way.

Brightly Colored Toadstool

We did pack a lunch on this trip, but really only planned to be out there for a few hours. It turned into a great 4-hour excursion, and the kids (who are 4 and 9) actually wanted to just keep going all afternoon. This was meant to be a scouting excursion for the upcoming Rosalie Peak trip I have planned with some friends for later this month; but, as serendipity would have it, it turned out to be a great full-day family excursion. The trail ultimately branches off, after treeline, to offer day trips to either the summit of Rosalie or to Roosevelt Lakes, both of which I plan to do this Autumn.

To get there: Heading South on 285 before Bailey, you take a right at the "Loaf'n'Jug" on Co RD 43 (Deer Creek Road). You take 43 all the way to the end (be careful where it intersects with 47--you want to stay to the left), where you'll see a "Fee Area" national forest campground. Pass the campground to the left, and stay on that road until it ends at the parking lot, which is the "Deer Creek Trail Head."

The Falls at Wellington Lake

For our first close-in camping trip of the year, we decided to stay the night at Wellington Lake. It's about 20 minutes outside of Bailey (or less, depending on the washboards), and a very nice wooded drive in. The Lake is first-come-first-serve camping, and they charge per person for day or overnight access (it's all the same price). The lake is nice, although a bit barren looking upon first entering the area; however, the campsites range from lake-view sites (they told me at the front desk that these fill up by Thursday on most summer weekends, so get there early), to some nice large and secluded forest spots. We didn't have our canoe, and so happily opted for the second choice. It was very secluded and quiet--a great spot.

Wellington Lake Falls, from Above

Anyhow, in the morning we woke up at 8-ish and had a little breakfast, and took the advice we'd received from the lady at check-in to do the Waterfall hike. Although not overly strenuous, it's a gorgeous little walk. The trail begins in a very green and flowery meadow, and  quickly is covered in dense wet forest. It's magical feeling, really, almost like a trail in Oregon or like something out of a Grimm story. The hike heads up the hill, and branches off to the longer Castle trail hike, which we didn't take this time, but rather went to the falls and hiked next to them for another half mile or so. There are some gorgeous cave-like structures under some of the falls, and the views of the lake and hills beyond from the boulders above are quite nice.

On the way out, we stopped in at the Cutthroat Cafe for a more proper breakfast. I believe I had the breakfast burrito, which is about my favorite thing after a nice hike. Overall, it was a fantastic day.

To get there: Heading South on 285, take a left immediately at the bottom of Crow Hill (right before you get into Downtown Bailey) and head take the road that follows the Platte out of two for 11 miles.