Colorado Trail (Segment 3) Wellington Lake to Buffalo Creek

Distance: 8 miles round trip
Elevation:8,262 ft - 8,390 ft
Elevation Gain: 935 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash
Tags: #ColoradoTrail, #coloradooutdoors, #hiking
Other hikes in area: Gashouse Gulch, Pine Valley Loop

This short stint on segment 3 of the Colorado Trail is cushy on the paws and mellow romp through the trees.

The Colorado Trail stretches almost 500 miles across the state from Denver to Durago. Divided into 28 segments, it can be hiked in 4-6 weeks straight through, in segments, or just in bits and pieces because it is so dang beautiful.

Trailhead

On this trip I was looking for a trail I had not done that would allow an off leash dog. Looking on the topo map I decided to head down towards the Wellington Lake Trailhead and hike eastward (away from the wilderness area) toward the Buffalo Creek Trailhead.

This segment is mostly in the trees

This bit of the Colorado Trail was a delight. The ground was a magic carpet of pine needles...soft and nearly rock free. While in the trees most of the time, the forest was open and airy and I was able to keep and eye on the dog as she bolted hither and yon. It was so smooth and level that I found myself walking along at over 3 mph.

Rock piles occasionally appear

The only downside was the lack of water and the sparse views. There was one meadow with a view of the Castle, an eroded rock pinnacle to the west of Wellington Lake, but that was about it. There is a rifle range 3 miles in, which was very active. Handgun fire to small nuclear explosions could be heard a long way off.

Most of the trees are Ponderosa, but this stint contains mostly Lodgepole

You get to the trailhead from Denver by heading up highway 285 to Bailey and then south on Forest Service Road 560 towards Wellington Lake. 560 is paved for only a short distance but then becomes hard packed dirt. Two other FSRs branch off from 560. If you stay to the right you'll find the trailhead, which is located on the right hand side of the road and very obvious.

View of the Castle

My turn around point just past 4 miles one way 

This backcountry campsite made a great lunch spot

Florrisant Fossil Beds: Hornbek Wildlife - Boulder Creek

Distance: 5.4 mile loop
Elevation: 8,328 ft - 8,639 ft
Elevation Gain:1,067 (cumulative)
Dogs: No (National Monument)
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Tags: #FINDYOURPARK, #NPS100, #pioneers, #fossils
Other Trails in the area: Petrified Forest Loop, Dome Rock

A scenic section of the Boulder Creek Trail that travels along the edge of the ancient Florrisant Lake bed

Florissant Fossil Beds near Woodland Park, CO contains one of the richest finds of insect fossils in the world. It also has miles of trails to explore as well the fossilized giant sequoia stumps. Most trails also have stunning views of west side of Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs native 14er.

Map of the route

Looking across at the first hillside

This post profiles a longer walk that wanders in and out of tree covered hills, crosses a meadow covered ancient lake bed, and stops to sightsee around a well-preserved pioneer homestead.

First a quick note about the fossils that made the area so famous. These formed because 33 million years ago a nearby volcanic field released a 2-story deep mud flow that covered the base a forest of giant sequoias. Eventually, the trees died at the level of the flow, but the stumps remained entombed in mud. These stumps can be seen on the short Petrified Forest Loop as well in a display behind the visitor's center. Another volcanic mud flow dammed a river, forming a lake. Insects and plant leaves drifted to the bottom of the lake where they were preserved in volcanic ash.

Old schoolhouse south of the trail

In the pine forest

Crossing out into the meadow

This trail starts out heading east on the Hornbook Wildlife Loop. After crossing Teller County Road 1, it heads steeply up into a mixed coniferous forest. Every tree seemed to have a bird competing for the loudest chirp or squawk. We saw lots of Chickadees, Mountain Bluebirds, and Filckers just to name a few. At one mile is the junction with the Shootin' Star Trail. Stay left and head down into a meadow and back towards CO Rd 1.

The Hornbek Homestead

Crossing the lake bed

Heading into the far valley

As soon as the trail crosses the road, the Hornbek Homestead comes into view. This well preserved homestead contains a two-story home, out buildings, and several wagons.

Beyond the homestead, the trail travels 2.5 miles along the edge of the ancient lake bed until it reaches a picturesque pile of Pilkes Peak Granite (4 miles total). These red rocks hide a little water fall and is a great place to sit and admire the Aspen trees that grow nearby. All along this segment, views of Pikes Peak abound.  The final 1.4 miles returns to the pine forest with some additional steeper sections.

Rock pile at the end of lake bed

Crossing Boulder Creek

Final stretch in the trees

Even if fossils don't interest you, the scenery and ease of travel will captivate. If you have extra time, drive to nearby Victor to explore the mining ruins of Battle Mountain and Vindicator Valley. To get to Florissant, take US 24 out of Colorado Sprngs. Exit to the town of Florissant, then follow signs two miles south on Teller County Road 1 to the visitor's center.

Fossilized sequoia stump

Florissant Fossil Beds: Petrified Forest Loop

Distance: 1 mile loop
Elevation: 8,400 ft
Elevation Gain: minimal
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: No, National Monument
Tags: #FindYourPark, #NPS100, #ColoradoSprings, #fossils, #naturewalk
Other hikes in area: Hornbook Wildlife Trail, Dome Rock 

Fossilized redwood stumps are the star of the Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument

Florissant Fossil Beds near Woodland Park, CO contains one of the richest finds of insect fossils in the world. It also has miles of trails to explore as well the fossilized giant sequoia stumps. Most trails also have stunning views of west side of Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs native 14er.

Starting out

This post profiles the short nature walk that starts right at the visitor's center and wanders out into the remains of a prehistoric lake bed, now a grass covered meadow.

Interpretive signs put the Eocene age in context with the other major  earth epochs. 

Mountain Bluebirds, hawks and Vultures, Mule Deer, and Pronghorn Antelope frolic the meadow, but the real stars are the sequoia stumps, some of which have been unearthed for your viewing pleasure. You can get up close and personal to at least one.

One stump is not fenced off, you can walk right up and touch it. It looks and feels like wood. 

The fossils formed because 33 million years ago a nearby volcanic field released a 2-story deep mud flow that covered the base of the trees. Eventually, the trees died at the level of the flow, but the stumps remained entombed in mud. Another mud flow dammed a river, forming a lake. Insects and plant leaves drifted to the bottom of the lake where they were preserved in volcanic ash.

Heading back across the meadow

To put this period in perspective, 33 million years ago was an age of mammals, the dinosaurs having long since gone the way...well...of the dinosaur. Before the ice ages that brought the Wooly Mammoth to what is now Colorado, this period contained large herbivorous proto-rhynoceri and other strange creatures.

Big Boy stump. A hotel used to exist in front of this stump and folks had to pay a fee to see you. Unlike today though you were allowed to climb on the stump and take chunks out of it. 

Trail Through Time

Distance: 1.5 mile loop
Elevation: 4,514 ft
Elevation Gain: 200 ft
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: Off leash
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #dinosaurs, #westernslope, #wildflowers, #lizards
Other Trails in the area: Rabbit Ear's Trail, Utah Juniper

Dinosaur bones are visible on the Trail Through Time

Wander in the footsteps of Camarasaurus and Diplodocus on the "Trail through Time" near Fruita, CO. This is short paleontological trail contains visible dinosaur bones and fossilized plants along with modern day lizards and flowering cacti. 

Heading up the hillside

The Dakota Formation

150 million years ago this area was a swamp filled with bus-sized sauropods. Now those swamps are entombed as the Dakota formation, a conglomerate layer of rocks and sand. The trail describes this formation and through a series of interpretive signs, describes the Jurassic landscape.

A lizard basks in the sun

Looking south over the Rabbit Valley. The trail can be seen several hundred feet below.  

Views of the desert abound from the trail, which switchbacks up a small hillside. To the south is the La Sal mountains, which rise sharply out of the desert floor. These mountains are the remains of a "bubble" of hot molten lava that intruded into the thick sediments of the Colorado plateau 29 million years ago. Over the millennia, the surrounding sediments have eroded away, leaving these 12K ft peaks. That is a lot of erosion!

You get to this trail off of I-70 at exit 2. It is a short one mile drive to the trailhead. Brown tourist signs mark the way. This is the same exit as the Rabbit's Ear Trail with its stunning views of the Colorado River.

Claret Cup Cactus and other plants bloom in spring on the Trail Through Time  

Don't linger too long on this trail, however, or you may just join the dinosuars...preserved in rock for all time.

Heading back down

Shrine Mountain East

Distance: 5 miles round trip
Elevation: 11,100 ft - 11,888 ft
Elevation Gain: 788 ft (net), 1,135 ft (cumulative)
Dogs: Off leash
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Date Hiked: 16 June 2012
Tags: #coloradooutdoors, #vail, #travel, #hiking, #tundra, #wildflowers
Nearby Trails: Shrine Mountain, Wilder Gulch, Ptarmigan Pass

A hiker lounges on Shrine Ridge.  Just another ghastly day in paradise!

Shrine Mountain near Vail, Colorado is perhaps one of the most scenic hikes in the whole state. This area has eye-popping views of two mountain ranges plus carpets of wildflowers in late summer. Shrine Mountain exist on a long east/west ridge. To the west is Shrine Mountain proper. This post covers a hike to the east.

Mt. Holy Cross from the saddle

Looking at our destination,  the green hill in the distance,  from the saddle.  You can't quite tell from this picture, but there are two approaches.  This trail will lead you along the right hand side of the ridge.  On the return, we came back over the middle.  Both are nice. 

Part of the route passes by crumbling rocks 

Green meadows and blue skies...how miserable! 

Alpine Sunflowers

I won't repeat my earlier discussion on how to get to the trailhead or how to get the ridge.  Please review my previous post on Shrine Mountain for those details and return here.

Destination in sight

Looking east from a perch on the ridge

Large cairn on the summit ridge

Looking at the trail as it continues on to Wilder Gulch

Once you cross the snowfield and reach the ridge, you can go right to Shrine Mountain and "Aircraft Carrier Rock" or go left and up along the ridge itself.  This latter route is all in the tundra and the views just keep getting better.  If you are a flatlander,  you should be able to do this hike unless your idea of fitness is a vigorous game of bingo.  Just remember that breathing is not optional.  Stop and suck wind  as required.  

Chipmunk

Heading back along an upper route which will take us to that small promitory

Interesting rock formations and stunted Sub-alpine Firs 

Heading back to the saddle

So what do you do when you reach the apex of the ridge?  Well, you can continue on until the intersection with Wilder Gulch and make day of it or like me you can lounge about thinking of all the poor slobs in the world who have had to pay big bucks to travel to Colorado.

Looking at Shrine Mountain.  If the weather is nice, don't hesitate to head in that direction.  It will only add a mile to your trip. 

Ptarmigan Pass (Sawatch Range)

Distance: 7.8 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,662 ft - 11,765 ft
Elevation Gain: 1,142 ft (net) 1,408 ft (cum)
Date Hiked: 2 July 2015
Bathroom at Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: Off leash
Tags: #coloradooutdoors #mountainpass #tundra #nature #hiking, #gearguide
Nearby Trails: Shrine Mountain, Shrine Mountain East

Looking southwest from Ptarmigan Pass near Vail

 A hike to scenic Ptarmigan Pass (the one near Vail) is an easy add on to the Wilder Gulch Trail (view post for all the details). Wilder Gulch travels three miles up a lush, open valley, and dead ends into Forest Service Road 747. From this point it is a short 0.9 miles (~500 ft gain) up (to the left) the road to the top of the pass. The only downside is the volume of 4x4 vehicles that can sometimes mare the otherwise serene experience.

Heading up the road to the false summit

Looking up at Ptarmigan Hill from the road

Looking down on the pass from off to the right. Several 4x4's are visible

The road itself curves sharply in several places, is unsurprising very rocky and wet, and has at least one false summit. But don't let that deter you. The views are worth it.

The right side of the pass is strewn with rocks that make for a great lunch spot.

Looking back down the road towards Wilder Gulch

Once on the pass, travel to the right and lounge amongst the rocks for a vehicle free view of the Holy Cross Wilderness. You can also "pop" (0.5 miles) up to the top of Ptarmigan Hill at 12,143 ft. Unfortunately, on this trip a large, ominous cloud was building over the peak, so we did not ascend further and did not linger on the pass for too long.