Last weekend we went back to Green Mountain to hike the same trail as the week before! Nothing too different to report in terms of the route / conditions. We went a little bit earlier to avoid the heat and crowds— this time, we went up to the summit, then followed the same way back. The trail was a bit more crowded than the previous weekend, but still had plenty of parking and ability to stay six feet apart from others. Great wildflowers!
This is the first real hike I’ve been on since quarantine! It felt so good to get out and put some miles in. I had been avoiding this close proximity park (follows the 10 mile radius guideline) because I assumed it would be too busy and hard to practice social distancing. I decided to drive and scope out the trailhead in the morning— I was pleased to only find three other cars in the parking lot!
I started this hike clockwise from the trailhead, climbing west steadily uphill following Rooney Valley Trail. The trail is multi-use and dog friendly, but there were more bikers than hikers that I encountered. The entire route was dry and exposed, offering no shade— even in the morning, I was very thankful for the cloud coverage. The trail spreads the elevation gain over switch backs; in general, it seems to be designed with more of a biker in mind than a hiker.
I followed Rooney Valley Trail for about three miles to the top of Green Mountain, where I made a right on Green Mountain Trail. The trails on the summit where extremely wide, making it easy to practice social distancing. I then descended back to the trailhead following the John Hayden trail. Near the base of the trail towards the trailhead, I almost stepped on a rattlesnake (pic below)! Normally, I hike in high altitudes where there are not as many snakes. This was the first rattlesnake I have seen in Colorado!
Now that Colorado is transitioning to a Safer at Home model for quarantine, I’m excited to get out hiking more often! Although I have been impressed with how in shape biking is keeping me. It will be difficult for my body to adjust back to high altitudes when this is all over!
Happy Earth Day! I’m so lucky to live in a state where I am reminded of the earths beauty every day! In honor of Earth Day, but mostly quarantine boredom, here are my top five favorite areas of Colorado to explore.
5. Poudre Canyon / Roosevelt National Forest
Our first picture together, on my first backpacking trip! Emmaline Lake, July 2017
West of Fort Collins, the Poudre Canyon cuts through Roosevelt National Forest, tracing the Poudre River. The canyon is a lot more secluded than most Colorado summer destinations. You can go for a quick drive or explore the hiking options off this road. When Travis and I first started dating, within a month we were already on our first backpacking trip here. We backpacked off of Emmaline Lake. Camping was free and dispersed, with lots of options.
When to Visit: Summer, Fall Local Dig: The Mishawaka, Bellvue What to Do: Drive through the canyon, hike Emmaline Lake or something near the mummy range, see a music concert at The Mishawaka
4. Durango / Mesa Verde National Park
Balcony House, Mesa Verde National Park, May 2018
The four corners region of Colorado is really unique compared to the rest of the state. I have been wanting to come back here for awhile, but it is a haul to get to from Denver. Travis and I went with some friends over memorial day weekend a while back; late May was already almost too hot to hike during the day. Unlike other national parks, the main attraction for Mesa Verde are the cliff dwellings. You will want to get tickets in advance, as tours are required and fill quickly. When we went, we stayed at free campsites which were easy to find in the area.
When to Visit: Spring (avoid the heat) Local Dig: Steamworks Brewing Company, Durango What to Do: Cultural tour of a cliff dwelling (Mesa Verde National Park)
3. Yampa / Flat Tops Wilderness
Devils Causeway, June 2018
Flat Tops Wilderness has a really unusual landscape and features so many alpine lakes. Travis and I drove here on a whim one summer weekend, after our coworker recommended it for remote hiking. We went late June / early July and the area featured fields and fields of wildflowers. I have never seen so many or so many varieties on a hike as Devils Causeway. This area is known for backpacking and fly fishing as well. We chose to car camp near the trail head; on a Friday evening, we did manage to find a camping site, but it was slim pickings.
When to Visit: Summer (wildflower season) What to Do:Hike Devils Causeway, Fish Trappers Lake
2. Montrose / Blue Mesa Reservoir / Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Backpacking the inner canyon, August 2018
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park has achieved International Dark Sky Park distinction due to reduced light pollution in the area. We backpacked into the inner canyon a few summers ago during the Perseus Meteor Shower. We camped along the river with the fly off of our tent and saw SO many shooting stars that night. The hike to get to the inner canyon was no joke — 1900 elevation decent in under a mile. The trail is so steep it features metal chains to keep you balanced. This area of Colorado was a drive to get to, but it’s remote enough that it avoided summer weekend crowds.
When to Visit: Summer, Fall What to Do: Stargaze (International Dark Sky Park), hike inner canyon at Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, paddle Blue Mesa Reservoir
Crestone / Sangre de Cristos / Great Sand Dunes National Park
Hiking to High Dune in Great Sand Dunes National Park, October 2018
The San Luis Valley is breathtaking– you just have to see this remote gem in person. Crestone is about 3.5 hours southwest of Denver, making it the perfect destination for a long weekend. Check out camping at the national park, or explore one of the unique AirBnB options in the Baca Grande. Crestone is an inter-faith community, with unique stupahs and artwork to explore through this small town. Definitely do not miss the UFO Watch Tower!
When to Visit: Fall Local Dig: Crestone Brewery, Crestone What to Do:Hike dunes at Great Sand Dunes National Park, explore inter-faith community in Crestone, visit the UFO watchtower, hike Sangre de Cristo mountains
Indian Peaks back country trail restoration trip, August 2019
Happy Earth Day! Let’s leave it better than we found it. Today’s post is dedicated to organizations, resources and strategies to protect the great outdoors. This is not an exhaustive list, just a few of my suggestions. Comment some of your ideas!
1. Leave No Trace
Zion National Park backpacking trip, March 2018
The holy grail of advice– make as little impact on the environment as possible. If you are unfamiliar with leave no trace principles, here is a good REI resource that highlights 7 principles: https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/leave-no-trace.html
Our hiking and camping mantra is “pack it in, pack it out” when we are on the trails. This means planning and making sure that we are cutting down on waste and packaging ahead of time. We try to also always pick up others’ trash when we find it on the trails. Pro tip: Ziploc bags are easy to fit in your backpack and are great at holding lots of pieces of trash. You can even purchase reusable ones! It’s especially great for food packaging that you do not want to get all over your backpack supplies. They can be rewashed and reused for a whole season!
2. Volunteer
Indian Peaks back country trail restoration project, July 2018
There is no better way to support our planet than getting your hands dirty and volunteering! The possibilities of supporting trails, environmental initiatives and the outdoors are endless. Volunteer Match is a great website to search through local volunteer options, by topic and /or frequency of volunteer event. Check it out here: https://www.volunteermatch.org/
Travis and I volunteer with an Coloradan front range outdoor group called Wildlands Restoration Volunteers, or WRV: https://www.wlrv.org/ . We typically sign up for a few events a summer and really enjoy the back country trail building projects. Trail building has given me such an appreciation for hiking– I now understand how much effort is put into every section of a path. If you are in the local area, check them out!
3. Donate
Financially support the outdoor causes that you care the most about through donations! Whether it is a local, national or international organization, make sure that you do your research on how the money is used. If you cannot give direct donations, think about adding a nonprofit outdoors organization to your Amazon account through Amazon Smile: https://smile.amazon.com/ . I also recently got a birthday gift from Parks Project, where a proceed of the sale goes to support the National Parks Foundation.
Travis and I rode our bikes over 35 miles around the city this past weekend. Denver has closed some streets downtown for more biking options, and the snow from this past week has already melted in the city. On one of our excursions, we rode to the north side of Denver and hiked around Bluff Lake Nature Center. This is such a hidden gem in the city! No dogs or bikes, just a beautiful nature path.
The entrance is off MLK Boulevard and Lima, a bit difficult to find with surrounding construction. We chained our bikes to the rack and completed the short loop counter clockwise. The path snakes around a small lake, with cottonwoods surrounding and a few benches for a quick sit. It was not as busy as I expected it would be, most everyone was following social distancing and wore protective gear. We saw a lot of birds!
Annie Hikes 500 Miles 