Hike #72: Picture Rock Trail (Partial), Heil Valley Ranch, Lyons, CO

On December 2, 2019December 8, 2019 By Annie3 Comments

Date: Sunday, December 1, 2019

Miles: 3.9 miles

Elevation Gain: 328 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 1 hr 30 min total

Type: Day hike from Denver (50 min drive)

Trail Head:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/picture-rock-trail

Notes:

It’s been a cold past few days in the front range! With the wind finally dying down, we went for a snowy morning hike today. Originally we were planning on exploring Rabbit Mountain near Longmont, but our car got stuck on the way to the trailhead. So, after we got our car out we drove to this trailhead in Lyons instead. This route was much more two wheel drive friendly.

This multi use trail starts across from the parking lot. The beginning of the trail was wide with broken up snow, causing micro spikes to not be too helpful. At the first switchback, the trail narrows and slowly climbs through the canyon. The further we got in the trail, the deeper and more difficult the snow was to hike in— the trail had not been broken in well since getting two feet of snow. We ended up turning back around mile two due to snow conditions. Hiking this snow this dense definitely took a lot longer than usual! It still felt good to get out and explore!

Hike #71: Rock Canyon and Broken Hip Trail Loop, Lake Pueblo State Park, Pueblo, CO

On November 29, 2019December 28, 2019 By AnnieLeave a comment

Date: Friday, November 29, 2019

Miles: 2.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 289 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 1 hr total

Type: Day hike from Denver (2 hr drive)

Trail Head:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/rock-canyon-broken-hip-loop-trail

Notes:

We stopped at this state park on our way back to Denver. Travis and I decided we want to visit all the state parks in Colorado, and road trips are the best way to cross some off. Pueblo Lake State Park was near I-25 and was easily accessible and not crowded.

This trailhead was located off highway 96, right after the main turn off to the state park. The trailhead has limited parking, but was not crowded on a Friday afternoon. The path is multi use, with narrow sandy trails. It was clear of mud and snow. The trail was not super well marked, with minimal signage. However, there are so many trails that braid in this area, if you get on the wrong section you can easily find your way back.

Hike #70: Rio Grande Gorge West Rim Trail, Rio Grande del Norte National Monument, Taos, NM

On November 29, 2019December 8, 2019 By AnnieLeave a comment

Date: Tuesday, November 26, 2019

Miles: 1.8 miles

Elevation Gain: 102 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 40 min total

Type: Weekend hike from Denver (4 hr 30 min drive)

Trail Head:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/new-mexico/west-rim-trail

Notes:

Our trip continued to New Mexico, where we did this quick hike outside of Taos, at the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. As you can tell from the photos below, we did not have great weather for our trip— freezing cold, low visibility and snow.

The trailhead is located right off the highway, at a rest station. The trail is wide and flat, following the Rio Grande Gorge with plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the view. We would have continued down the trail if it wasn’t so cold outside. The view of the river was absolutely gorgeous! After we finished the hiked, we drove about a mile to visit the Earthship Visitors Center— definitely stop there while nearby!

Hike #69: Medano Pass Primitive Road to Sand Ramp Trail, Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO

On November 28, 2019December 8, 2019 By AnnieLeave a comment

Date: Monday, November 25, 2019

Miles: 2.9 miles

Elevation Gain: 243 feet

Difficulty: Easy

Time: 1 hr total

Type: Weekend hike from Denver (4 hr drive)

Trail Head:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/medano-pass-primitive-road

Notes:

We decided to explore the park beyond the dunes. We parked at the end of the paved road, at the large parking lot before the Medano Pass primitive road. Our two wheel drive car could have probably made it a mile up the road to the Point of No Return trailhead, but we didn’t want to risk it.

The road was easy to hike on, especially this time of the year in the off season. We only passed one car and one other hiking group. Medano Pass has plenty of smaller trails that go out to the dunes as well, if you want to explore a less populated area. At the trailhead, we took the Sand Ramp Trail to the left, which was pretty snowy. We hiked about a half mile on this trail before we headed back to our car. This trail has great views of the dunes and the Sangre de Cristo Range.

Hike #68: High Dune, Great Sand Dunes National Park, CO

On November 28, 2019December 8, 2019 By AnnieLeave a comment

Date: Monday, November 25, 2019

Miles: 2.7 miles

Elevation Gain: 597 feet

Difficulty: Moderate to Difficult

Time: 1 hr 30 min total

Type: Weekend hike from Denver (4 hr drive)

Trail Head:

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/high-dune

Notes:

We started our mini road trip at the Great Sand Dunes National Park, down near Crestone, Colorado. It’s about a 4 hr drive from Denver, not near any major cities. This national park has been one of our favorite places to explore— secluded and breath taking. We prefer to go during the off season, in the fall or winter, to avoid summer heat and crowds.

We parked at the main trailhead and walked across Merano Creek (dried) towards the base of the dunes. The fun part about hiking on the dunes is that there really is no real trail. The sand shifts around so much, there is no consistency in the perfect pathway. We picked out the highest peak and hiked towards it, switching left and right to avoid the few other people at the park.

Do not be fooled by the mileage and elevation of this hike— it is hard! Hiking in sand dunes can be as difficult as running on the beach. Every uphill step leads to sinking a few inches in the sand. Pick your path wisely- ridges usually have harder packed sand and are easier to hike on.

Since you choose your own path, exact mileage and elevation will depend on route. The summit of High Dune is easy to spot, and features amazing views of the Sangre de Cristo mountain range and San Luis Valley. After the peak, the beat part of the hike is running down the sand dunes! The sand cushions your run— people also bring sleds and sand boards for the descent. I would recommend every Coloradan visit this park and explore its unique beauty!