Meadow Mountain

Distance: 7.3 miles round trip
Elevation: 8,940 ft - 11,632 ft
Elevation Gain: 2,692 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: On leash
Date Hiked: 20 August 2015
CMC Rating: Easy C
HashTags: #peakbagging #coloradooutdoors #rmnp #tundra, #gearguide

View of St. Vrain Mountain from the slopes of Meadow Mountain

Meadow Mountain, near Allenspark Colorado, is an 11,632 ft peak sandwiched between the Indian Peaks Wilderness and Rocky Mountain National Park. The trail is a rocky slog that is more fatiguing than the distance and elevation gain would warrant but the views of Long's Peak from the summit are stunning so everyone should make the trip at least once.

Parking lot and trailhead

A typical trail segment, very rocky

View back down the valley

The trail to Meadow Mountain starts at the St. Vrain Trailhead. To get there, take County Road 107 (Ski Hill Road) out of Allenspark for 1.5 miles and then turn right on Forest Service Road 116 for 0.5 miles. Both roads are dirt. FSR 116 is getting eroded and while still passable with a passenger car, some zigzagging is required to find the least objectionable route.

Finally getting above treeline. Looking at an unnamed peak to the south.

Heading to the saddle. That is St. Vrain Mountain in the distance.

Looking up at Meadow Mountain from the saddle

The bulk of the trail is pretty much the same. It travels through Aspen, Spruce, and Limber Pine, making several sharp switch backs further up the valley. At 0.7 miles is the wilderness boundary, and at 1.9 miles is a small stream crossing. At 2.5 miles the trail finally breaks above treeline. The saddle is located at 3.3 miles (11,198 ft/1,844 ft elevation gain). Head to the left to continue on to St. Vrain Mountain or turn right and summit Meadow Mountain.

Heading up to the summit with hazy Indian Peaks in the distance

Approaching the summit

Long's Peak from the summit

The views from the saddle are stunning. St. Vrain Peak lies to the south while to the west is Wild Basin area of Rocky Mountain National Park. The hike up to the summit is not as difficult as it looks. Fifty percent of it is mostly tundra. The other half is a large talus pile. I had to put my camera away to scramble over some of the larger rocks. There is no preferred way to the summit. Some drift to the right others go straight up.

Weather station

Rock Shelter

On the summit

The summit is big enough to hold a high-school football game. There is a small solar powered weather station and a rock shelter. The latter really comes in handy when the winds start to blow. On this trip, the area was filled with smoke from the western wildfires and the peaks were obscured in haze.

Heading down

Rock Creek Snowshoe

Distance: 4.5 miles round trip
Elevation: 8,765 ft - 9,896 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,131 ft (net),  1500 ft  (cum)
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Tags: #snowshoe, #coloradooutdoors, #allenspark

Rock Creek Road near Allenspark, CO

Rock Creek Road near Allenspark, CO is great place to snowshoe if you don't like crowds and don't mind the occasional snowmobile. Rock Creek Road (or FSR 1162) starts at the end of Ski Road (CO 107) where it meets FSR 1161 (St. Vrain Trailhead). After an initial decent, the road heads relentlessly upwards before dead ending just below a saddle between two 11,000 foot peaks. From the road you won't see any of these peaks but you will see towering spruce trees and a snow covered creek that gurgles pleasantly along the route.

Terrain map of the area

Parking for this snowshoe is limited, but rarely used.  A few cars can park on the edge of FSR 1161 and three to four more can park along Ski Road itself, which as a county road is usually plowed.

Looking back on a more open area towards the beginning of the route.

From the parking area, the route descends until it crosses a creek and then begins a slow climb upwards. Depending on conditions, the road can be iced over, filled with fluffy drifts, or bare in spots. It is used by local skiers who cruise up and down in marathon laps.

Rocks and Aspens 

Starting out there are campsites along the left hand side of the road while rock formations and aspens dominate the hillsides to the right. At 1.2 miles (640 ft gain) is a wooden fence near a creek crossing. Only a tenth of a mile beyond this is the first switchback and 1.75 miles is the next switchback (973 ft gain). It is two miles to a small meadow.

A more open area

The further you ascend the larger the trees seem to become. The road itself becomes more narrow so the trees begin to close in creating a mystical tableau.

Ice free area of the creek

While Rock Creek will not wow you with views, it usually has snow and is off the beaten track. Its steady ascent will give you a work out to boot.

Towering trees near the upper reaches of the road