Upper Piney River

Distance: 6.4 miles round trip
Elevation: 9,350 ft - 9,910 ft
Elevation Gain: 851 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Port-o-lets
Dogs: On leash, Eagles Nest Wilderness
Date Hiked: 13 July 2014

Cow Parsley along the side of Piney Lake on the Upper Piney Lake Trail.

Upper Piney River Trail in the Eagle's Nest Wilderness out of Vail has views that will make you hyperventilate. The route starts at Piney Lake, one of the highest lakes in Colorado you can drive to, and heads towards the Gore Range's "Grand Traverse", a series of jagged peaks reminiscent of Wyoming's Grand Tetons. Getting to the trailhead, however, is an hour-long journey (at 10 mph) up bumpy dirt road, passable, but not fun, in a 2WD vehicle.

Parking lot at the Piney River Ranch. The trail starts at the lake.

The start of the trail

To get to the Piney Lake, take exit 176 off of west bound I-70 to the frontage road, then turn right onto Red Sandstone Road. A short distance up Red Sandstone, and at a hair pin turn, Forest Service Road (FSR) 700 splits off to the left. This intersection is disconcerting because the paved road whips to the right and the dirt road is straight across. What you don't know, because you come up too fast, is that there is a stop sign for cars coming down Red Sandstone Rd so it is safe to cross. FSR 700 is a long and rocky dirt road that will make you wonder where on earth you are heading. It twists and turns, goes up and down, and splits in several locations. At every intersection is a sign pointing the way to Piney River Ranch, located at the lake, so you should not get lost. At 6.7 miles you'll pass the trailhead to Lost Lake, another nice hike in the area.

Past the lake the valley becomes a verdant marsh.

Fairy trumpets along the trail

Once you get to the Piney Lake there are two parking lots. The one closest to the lake is technically on private property. Since we spent half of our inheritance on some cold drinks after the hike, I did not mind using the lot.

Entering the Aspens

The trail leaves the valley floor and winds up the left side with views of the rocks ahead.

The trail starts right at the lake and heads along the shoreline. At 0.4 miles you enter the Eagle Nest Wilderness. Take a moment to gasp at the view.  Once past the lake, the trail looks down on a verdant marsh. Upper Piney River winds lazily in one continuous S-curve down the valley. Just looking at that peaceful setting made we want to slow down, take deep breaths, and sigh. Isn't it amazing how much effect water has our psyche? 

Looking down on the marsh as the trail begins to ascend

Getting close to the end of the valley

Also in this area is the Marmot gauntlet. There were large boulders overlooking the marsh every 20 yards. Each one had a Marmot family on it with you-tube cute youngsters peaking out from every crevice. Check out these baby Marmots from the American Basin Trail.

After the trail shifts to the right, the terrain is filled with large boulders.

The falls that is the destination of this hike

At 1.0 miles the trail starts to leave the valley and head into the trees. From this point onwards, the trail winds in and out of Aspens as the valley narrows toward a rock wall. At 1.4 miles the trail starts to gain altitude in a series of switchbacks. You know you are getting close when the trail turns sharply to the right at the back of the valley.

At 3.2 miles the trail appears to dead end into a flowing cascade. Follow the social trails to the right to a series of boulder overlooking the torrent. Supposedly an indistinct trail continues for another 4 miles to Upper Piney Lake.

Looking back down the valley near the falls

I have been wanting to do this trail for the last 4 years, ever since we popped up to Piney Lake after hiking to nearby Lost Lake. I had to wait until my dog was old and calm enough to keep on a leash...still not easy! You may not have the restriction, so hold on to your fillings and brave FSR 700, the views are worth it and so much more!

Walker Ranch Loop

Distance: 8 mile loop
Elevation: 7,362 ft - 7,392 ft (yep its a loop)
Elevation Gain: 1,580 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: On leash, Boulder County Open Space
Date Hiked: 7 June 2014
Tags: #Boulder, #Eldoradocanyon, #coloradooutdoors, #hiking

South Boulder Creek is one of many diverse terrain features on the Walker Ranch Loop.

The Walker Ranch Loop near Boulder, CO is an amazingly diverse trail with green glades, precipitous descents, cool rock formations, and a rumble-in-your-bones creek. I can't believe I have lived near Boulder for over ten years and have never done it. I was under the misinterpretation that it was just like Eldorado Canyon Trail, which it abuts, but it is so much more.

Map at the trailhead showing the numerous parking areas and stream crossings.

Starting out from the Cedar Meadows Trailhead and heading counter-clockwise.

Indian Paintbrush

There are three trailheads for this loop, three up Flagstaff Road out of Boulder (Boulder County Open Space) and the other (Cedar Meadows) up Coal Creek Canyon Road (part of Eldorado Canyon State Park).  Cedar Meadows is blessedly empty, which on a spring weekend is a novelty not to be missed. Finding a place to park and hike near Boulder can be a trial that is so stressful that it would send the most calm yogi into a week of recuperative meditation.

Leaving the open meadows behind, the terrain shifts to dry Ponderosa Pine, Yucca, and rocks.

Expansive views looking west

The steep steps leading down to South Boulder Creek

Since this is a loop, you can take it in any direction. On this trip we journeyed counter-clockwise. The route starts out crossing gentle hillsides covered in green grasses that wilted in the damp air. Wildflowers dotted the landscape and clouds hung lazily and low over the trees. An unusual June for sure. Before long, the trail drifted into stands of Ponderosa Pine.

Mountain bikers do this trail??

Looking down on South Boulder Creek

After the creek, the route changes to a wide dirt road and heads steadily upwards.

After 1.5 miles or so, the trail begins a steep descent down log steps to the bottom of Boulder Creek. The only way to go is slow, taking each step carefully since they are filled with loose gravel and are narrow in places. I can't image mountain bikers liking this trail for this reason but they just carry their bikes up or down this segment and carry on. South Boulder Creek is a controlled waterway with its volume controlled by the dam at nearby Gross Reservoir. On this trip it was a torrent that shook the earth with its intensity. Falling in would have been an instant death sentence.

Turning from the dirt road back onto a single track. Note the nature sign in the distance. That will be a good thing to look for.

A shaded segment in the trees

On top of the ridge

Beyond South Boulder Creek, the trail rises again and becomes a wide dirt road. At 2.5 miles is the junction with the Eldorado Canyon Trail that heads westward into the State Park. Another mile upwards the trail splits. Head straight up the road and you will dead end at the Ethel Road trailhead. Turn left onto the dirt path to continue the loop.

Starting into the burn area

All the rain we had in June 2014 really had the wildflowers popping.

Looking east. You can see where the trail heads south again from the Walker Ranch trailhead.

The next segment is damper and the trees change to shade-loving Douglas Fir. A small stream gurgles nearby while the trail becomes packed gravel eroded from granite outcroppings. After climbing steadily, the route peaks out on a narrow ridge (at 4.4. miles/912 ft elevation gain) with views to the east and west. The trail winds slowly down this ridge until it reaches the Walker Ranch trailhead at 7,279 ft (1,029 ft elevation gain). It was cold and windy at this point but we were starving and so chose to eat at the picnic table to avoid getting crushed by the hikers and bikers disgorging themselves from the parking lot. Obviously, this is the busiest trailhead on the route.

Approaching the Walker Ranch Trailhead

Leaving the Walker Ranch Trailhead and heading back down to South Boulder Creek

Walking along South Boulder Creek. The roar was palpable.

Continuing counter clockwise, the trail descends rapidly on an eroded path back down to South Boulder Creek. At the bottom (at 6.3 miles) there are several picnic tables that were filled with anglers braving the rushing stream. From this point the route is flat, following the stream until it crosses the creek and begins a short but brutal 0.75 mile climb back up to the Cedar Meadows trailhead.

The path along South Boulder Creek is wide, flat, and very pleasant.

Starting the long slug back to the car

Close-up of some reproductive organs.

The Crescent Meadows trailhead is a separate undeveloped part of Eldorado Canyon State Park. To get to the trailhead drive 7 miles up Coal Creek Canyon from Hwy 93. Go through a small town where you'll see a Sinclair Gas Station on the left. Turn Right on Crescent Park Drive,  travel one mile always staying to your left until you come to a T junction. Take a right at the T and proceed a couple more miles, cross a railroad track. A few hundred feet from the tracks you'll see the dirt lot on your right.

More flowers

Approaching the trailhead

It is hard to find long hikes near Boulder. Walker Ranch will get you in shape for summer hiking while keeping you interested with all of the micro-climates. If you don't live in Boulder itself, the Cedar Meadows trailhead is the way to go.

Tanglewood - Rosalie Trail

Distance: 5.6 miles round trip
Elevation: 9,340 ft - 10,405 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,065 ft (net),  1,150 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at the Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash until the wilderness boundary at 2.8 miles
Date hiked: 28 June 2014

Views of the ridge line to the south from the western side of the Rosalie Trail

The Tanglewood to Rosalie Trail near Baily Colorado is a popular backpacking route into the Mount Evans Wilderness. I had no idea of this of course until I showed up at the trailhead to find at least 40 cars in the large dirt parking lot.  It was so crowded in fact that people had started creating three rows of cars, trapping the middle row!

The parking lot

The Tanglewood Trail heads due north into the Mt. Evans Wilderness and climbs to the top of a saddle at 12,000 ft, while the Rosalie Trail cuts left and winds its way between 12,000 ft peaks before finally coming out on Guanella Pass near Mt. Beirstadt.  The junction of these two trails is 1.2 miles and 450 ft up the Tanglewood Trail and is marked by a large and obvious sign.

The log crossing over Tanglewood Creek

Tanglewood Creek is pleasant and there are plenty of places to get close to the water.

The Rosalie Trail is by far the most attractive of the pair. The Tanglewood trail is very rocky and monotonous. It reminded me a lot of North Tenmile Creek near Frisco. The creek itself is pleasant, however, and was raging with the spring runoff. I ran into several groups with very small children, who most likely popped up from the nearby campground. No one was letting their kids play by the water though.

Heading up the Rosalie Trail

While there are several bridges that cross the creek, the first crossing was on a series of logs that were slippery and filled with debris. I ended up getting down on my toosh and crabbing over them rather than try to walk on their round, slick surfaces. When there is less water in the creek, it would be possible to walk across the shallow area nearby. 

Yellow Golden Banner dotted the trail, which became quite serene after an initial steep ascent.

Looking up the hillside to the north. If you scrambled to the top, you could see Mt. Rosalie.

The Rosalie Trail starts out on an old logging road. It is wide, steep, and just as rocky as the Tanglewood Trail. It levels out however, after a half mile or so and becomes a soft dirt track through young Aspens. At other times the trail hugs an open hillside with occasional views of the 12,000 ft ridge to the south. While Mt. Rosalie is just to the other side of the hillside, it is not visible without a scramble to the top.

Another typical segment in Aspens

On this trip, I turned around at the wilderness boundary (at 2.8 miles/10,357 ft) because I had my dog with me who needed to run off leash. Since I had already hiked several miles up the Tanglewood Trail before diverting up the Rosalie Trail, that was fine with me as well. I would like to go further though to see if the views improve. Note, that it seemed to me that the location of the wilderness boundary was a little further beyond what is drawn on the Trails Illustrated map.

A segment in willows. The trail is actually a running stream.

To get to the trailhead, drive west from Denver on US 285 for approximately 28 miles. Turn right onto CO Road 43A (at the Loaf and Jug), which quickly becomes CO Road 43. Travel 6.8 miles to a "Y" in the road. Bear left (downwards) for another drive 2 miles. At the sign for the Deer Creek campground, bear right (there is a tiny sign pointing to the Trailhead. This narrow, rocky road dead ends into the large parking lot.

The Rosalie Trail eventual descends downwards to the wilderness boundary.

With all the Aspens that encroach on the upper portion of the trail, it seems like this hike is better suitable to the fall, when the air is cooler and the colors dominate. As it is, however, there are very few trails close to Denver where dogs can run free, so I suspect I will need to return to the area at some point in the future.

Staunton State Park: Staunton Ranch ... Scout Line Loop

Distance: 7 miles round trip
Elevation: 8,370 ft - 9, 262 ft
Elevation Gain: 892 ft (net) 1,162 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: On leash ... State Park
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 1 June 2014

The imposing pink cliffs of Staunton State Park near Pine Colorado (~40 miles up highway 285 from Denver).

Only a year old at the time of this posting, Stauton State Park near Pine Colorado, is a lovely addition to the Colorado State Park system, and its proximity to Denver means it can't help but grow in popularity. I found the park quite enchanting with its variety of terrain and tantalizing views of towering granite cliffs, rolling green hills, and distant mountains. The only downside of the area is that there is really only one access to the trails so getting to the furthermost reaches of the park really requires some serious walking or a mountain bike.  On this inaugural trip, we cruised up the easy Staunton Ranch Trail from the group picnic grounds to the Scout Line Trail, which climbs steeply up an escarpment. We then took the short Marmot Passage Trail back to the Staunton Ranch Trail for a 7-mile lollypop loop.

The overflow parking lot

Starting out on the Staunton Ranch Trail

Open meadow with Aspens and Douglas Fir

The day we visited was very crowded and we ended up parking in an overflow lot near the group picnic grounds. Fortunately, a ranger was standing in the road pointing the way. Otherwise I am not sure we would have known to park in the large dirt area. It was a short 100 yard walk to the picnic grounds and bathrooms, and the entrance to the Staunton Ranch Trail lay half-way between the dirt lot and the picnic area and was well marked with a sign.

Trails are well marked with names and distances.

On the Scout Line trail we quickly left the crowds behind.

The Scout Line Trail switchbacks up an escarpment.

The Staunton Ranch Trail wanders blissfully through sun dappled glades of Ponderosa Pine and Aspen. You can tell this portion of the park used to be a ranch because the trees are widely spaced and lush green grasses cover the area making for bovine paradise. Because of the ease of this trail, we found it teaming with families and children or small clusters of high schoolers recently released from their pens. Mountain bikers too, cruised quickly up the flat dirt pathway. It was not until we reached the much harder Scout Line Trail (at 1.7 miles and a lazy 334 ft) that we left the crowds behind.

View of the Staunton Rocks from the Scout Line Trail

A rocky segment on the Scout Line Trail

The Scout Line Trail was by far the most interesting part of the route. It climbed sharply up through rocky outcroppings and the trees changed to Lodgepoles and Douglas Fir. The imposing cliffs of jagged Pikes Peak Granite, a metamorphic batholith forged deep with in the Earth, were visible from several angles. The populated hills that border the park seemed less intrusive when viewed from above and the snow capped peaks near Mt. Evans seemed a stones throw away. We saw only two other people on this harder segment and maxed out at 9,262 ft (at 3.2 miles and 976 ft of elevation gain).

Looking southwest from the Scout Line Trail at the many ranches that border the park.

Close up of the mountain range to the west. From this angle I am not sure if this is Rosalie Peak or Mt. Evans.

Heading down the shaded Marmot Passage Trail

At the top of the escarpment, the trees closed in and became a dense stand of Lodgepole Pine. Downed trees littered the slope and still the sunlight barely made it to the forest floor where a bed of decaying pine needles kept all other plants away. The Marmot Passage Trail (junction at 3.5 miles) travels sharply downwards through this forest for only 0.5 miles before dumping out onto the broad and sandy Staunton Ranch Trail (at 4 miles).

On the upper reaches of the Staunton Ranch Trail

The Staunton Rocks from lower down

The upper segment of the Staunton Ranch Trail travels parallel to the imposing cliffs of the Staunton Rocks climbing area. We saw several groups of climbers winding their way upwards, mere gnats clinging precariously to the rocks. The route is a wide dirt road and it did not take long to return to the car.

A final view before we cruised back to the car.

I really enjoyed Staunton State Park and send grateful missives skywards towards the numerous benefactors who left parcels of land for the rest of us to enjoy. This is now part of your Colorado, so get out and enjoy it!