elk mountains colorado hiking

Jason answered my call and was accommodating to book us a snowmobile tour for that coming Wednesday. The Elk Mountains and West Elk Mountains, near the ski towns of Aspen and Crested Butte, are arguably the most beautiful mountains in Colorado.The combination of jagged peaks, multi-colored rocks, expansive fields of wildflowers, and vast groves of aspen make these mountains pure alpine eye candy. Beautiful trail. Blake did a good job leading us up the high country of the Rocky Mountains. This challenging loop takes in both peaks, connecting them via the Wilson River Trail and trail connections on the back sides of both peaks that involve a couple of scramble sections. Final approach up steep uplift is rewarded by a 360 view of Grand County. Missouri Lakes. I found the Elk Mountain Adventure online, called early on Sunday before we left on Tuesday. The TH is not marked, there are other reviews that have done a better job describing how to access. On our first day back here yesterday I celebrated our return with a hike through the aspens up near Kebler Pass. It was still muddy at places along trail up to meadow and a bit soggy coming out of the meadow. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. Crystal clear streams, pristine alpine lakes and lush green … See previous comments on how to locate the trailhead. Great views even though it’s incrediblyyyyy smoky. I'm an out of shape 60 year old who still thinks she can hike. The last part of the hike that goes above timberline that leads to the elk mountain cliff was a slight struggle, as it's a decent climb in elevation. The Elk Meadow Trail Near Evergreen, Colorado, is a Gorgeous 4 Mile Hike with Incredible Views of Elk Meadow, Beautiful Forests and Mountains Around Evergreen. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. The days are filled with horseback riding, white water rafting, hiking, riflery, fishing, mountain biking and other activities. Sunset in the West Elk Mountains of Colorado. Castle Peak is the exception. The 360 view from the top was incredible, although there were a lot of ants and bugs. Judd Falls Gunnison National Forest 2.3 mi (RT); 300 ft elevation gain. © 2006-2020 SummitPost.org. Our first time in Aspen. The last mile is open and hot in the sun and smoke. Days Required: 1-2 days. I’d rate this a moderately easy hike. It’s perfect for everyone - families, couples, singles and small groups. "Every poet is a thief." The end climb was enough to get your blood pumping and the views from the top were totally worth it! Then drop down E along the shoulder before heading down to American Lake. Elk Mtn Trailhead is not marked - actual location = 40° 10' 17.1876'' N, 106° 8' 19.7016'' W. Parking is best in clearing across CR-21 where old drill site is located. The incline is steep at times but nothing crazy and the overall hike is fairly short. From there, you’ll ascend to the sub-alpine section of the park—an area full of firs, pines, elk, mountain lions, and coyotes. You do have to make a reservation to get on the bus wher Three national forests and six wilderness areas protect this amazing landscape. Tons of wildflowers, hummingbirds, mountain blue birds, junkos, and a pair of red tailed Hawks circling overhead. No animals along the trail, only 3 humans and 2 dogs. West Elk Mountains: Beckwith Pass from Lost Lake Gunnison National Forest 6 mi (RT); 500 ft elevation gain. Published on Jun 5, 2016 We have hiked up Elk mountain in Chilliwack region on 4th June 2016. The Sawatch and Elk Mountain ranges around Aspen, Leadville, Buena Vista, Crested Butte and Marble, offer the quintessential Rocky Mountain hiking experience with glacial valleys leading to vast alpine expanses sprinkled with glistening lakes amid soaring peaks. BEAUTIFUL views on the drive but wanted people to know what they are getting into! The majestic brown animals, a symbol of the American west, dotted hundreds of … Elk Range Trail is a 6.3 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Golden, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is good for all skill levels. --U2, Routes Needle Rock Natural Area BLM Public Lands 1 mi (RT); 450 ft elevation gain . The top of Elk Mountain offers a spectacular view of Chilliwack, Cultus Lake, and the surrounding Fraser Valley area. Easy incline for most of the way, the last stretch will have you breathing hard though!  More Mountains & Rocks, Tellurium, A Rugged Peak Whose Summit I Could Not Reach, Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness - Willow Lake, Lost Remuda Basin, Buckskin Pass, Four Days in Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness Area, Sensory Overload in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness, Fall Break in the Maroon Bells - October 15-18, 2010, Colorado's Elk Range: Four Pass Loop (and More! Alongside other peaks, the two peaks are known as fourteeners. Good for many skill levels! I have nothing to do for the next four days beyond finding a bit of solitude and treading lightly in body and soul. Not once, and I've done the route 5 or 6 times, have I succeeded in hitching a lift along the road back the Cathedral Lk trailhead parking lot... Not the best of finishes to an excellent walk that starts and finishes among the summer crowds but boasts an exhilarating centerpiece. Oh, Joy! The 11,424-foot (3,482 m) peak is located in Arapaho National Forest, 12.9 miles (20.8 km) northwest by west (bearing 301°) of the Town of Granby in Grand County, Colorado, United States. The trail will be on the right side of the road with what looks like a 4x4 trail. We're backpacking on a loop of about 26 miles through the Elk Mountains' Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness on the western slope of the Rockies, using some of the highest maintained trails in the Lower 48. We'll spend much of the journey above … I was in love with this hike, one of the best I have been on in awhile. One thing unique about the range is that hiker use is overall actually decreasing, rather than increasing as it is in most places in Colorado. Of the larger wilderness tracts in Colorado, the West Elk is perhaps the least well known. NOTE: Road 21 is closed about 7 miles before trailhead as of November 17 due to the fire operations, Road 21 is closed about 7 miles before trailhead as of November 17 due to the fire operations. Golden aspens illuminated by sunset light, with Marcellina Mountain in the distance. Lily Lake Trailhead. Just FYI the last 13 miles of the drive are all dirt road. They moved quickly from the forest and soon … You must make time to visit Maroon Lake when here. There is cell phone coverage at least for Verizon for most of the journey. The Woods Walk is a popular path between Kebler Pass and the Lower Loop. With Wilderness designation, these protected mountains are rugged, steep and aesthetically pleasing. Easy to find with the app and has a rusty sign right out front, so keep an eye out for that! Stunning, absolutely stunning end!!!! We saw tons of flowers, the meadow that others have mentioned was beautiful. The number of hikers fell to an estimated 1,320 last year from 1,508 in summer 2018, according to CFI. A week at the Elk Mountain Dude Ranch encompasses the best of Colorado all at a great price. Cattle on the road coming in so drive with caution. While access can be challenging, the hike itself typically is not. The high mountains of Colorado’s Elk Range are among the finest peaks in the Rockies. Fairly easy hike for most of the way but it gets a little steep (with loose mud) in the last quarter. One other pair of hikers, otherwise complete solitude. Central Colorado. Start at abandoned forest rd 113 about a half mile north on Rd 112. Hiked on Wednesday morning, only one around until decent from peak. I parked directly on the 4x4 trail as far as I could drive but there is a parking lot across the main road you can park on if you have low a clearance vehicle. The Elk Mountain fourteeners tend to be among the least hiked and climbed in the state because of the difficulty, Sargeant said. There is also a blue post there now someone put in to mark the turn. There is a rusty metal sign at the entrance where someone wrote the trail name in chalk. There are breathtaking view of Grand County at the top above the tree line. Finding Trail: Fantastic short hike. We tried to hike this one this morning but got 1.5 miles away from trailhead and snow was covering the road :( the road was CO 21. definitely could have walked but we ended up running out of time. The trail was a little muddy in parts and there was a good amount of bugs as others have mentioned. It's possible to do a slight variant on the route suggested - one that allows you to take greater advantage of the fabulous views from the Cathedral-Hayden ridge. I grew up in Wisconsin where deer rut in November and was surprised to find a bull sniffing around his sixty-plus harem on the edge of Estes Park. I put Cam's coordinates in google maps and it took me right to the trailhead. Living in Boulder County, Colorado, has its advantages like the drive to Rocky Mountain National Park takes less than an hour. The mountains sit on the western side of the Continental Divide, largely in southern Pitkin and northern Gunnison counties, in the area southwest of Aspen, south of the Roaring Fork River valley, and east of the Crystal River. Elk Mountain Ranch is secluded within the San Isabel National Forest near Buena Vista, CO. A pleasant two hour drive from Denver or Colorado Springs brings you to the heart of the Rockies. (217), Climber's Log Entries Not too hard to find, just drop pin on all trails trail head. But really, just the drive up there was spectacular. Excellent place to camp better than to hike. Hiking trails are a path to destruction for Colorado elk Recreationalists in Vail are having a devastating impact on the local herd. View Elk Mountains Image Gallery - 217 Images. Elk Mountain and Kings Mountain are two popular hiking destinations in Oregon's Coast Range. Elk Mountain Trail is a 4.2 mile lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. (3), Images It's worth the hike, though - awesome views from the summit! Long valleys and sun-dappled aspen forested slopes offer unique scenic beauty to the intrepid hiker. I will definitely return. Elevation at the top is 11420’. By definition, a fourteener refers to a mountain peak that has a minimum height of at least 14,000 feet. Trail is apparently seldom used and not well maintained. Parking is somewhat limited, so park along the road somewhere out of the way. The trail is very hard to find, but the AllTrails app makes it a lot easier! But the trail is so beautiful with tons of trees and the groundcovers were all turning their fall colors. (13), Comments The trail was a good hike with pretty views of forest, meadows, and grasses. Next comes the alpine layer, known as the “land above the trees.” Here, you’ll spot a different set of greenery, along with birds, elk, and smaller mammals. Gorgeous hike! He was knowledgable of the area and pointed out many of the interesting facts of … 1: The Northern Peaks, http://skithe14ers.com/p-snowmass-mtn.php, Dawson's Guide to Colorado Backcountry Skiing, Volume 1, http://www.wildsnow.com/articles/ratings/ski-board-d-rating-system.html, View A 10-mile dirt road leads to your next adventure, Elk Mountain Ranch. For example, the Beautiful at the top. In the winter, the mountains are covered with virgin snow and winter wildlife. Glad I started early. This trail challenged me but I could do it - for sure that last .5 mile is brutal for someone like me. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from June until January. Cool views on the top but the smoke does hinder them. Begin your Colorado Dude Ranch Adventure, Explore: Renowned Elk Mountain Ranch has been the destination vacation for visitors seeking the ultimate dude ranch experience for over 35 years. Near Kebler Pass in the Elk Mountains, Colorado. They rut two months earlier than Wisconsin deer. Children refers to the set of objects that logically fall under a given object. The views on the top are absolutely amazing and well worth the hard work to get there! 40° 10' 17.1876'' N, 106° 8' 19.7016'' W. There's also a pink ribbon tied to a tree at the trailhead. Be very careful on this section of the trail. In total, fourteeners are 96 in number in all of the US, with all 96 … The Elk Mountains are a high, rugged mountain range in the Rocky Mountains of west-central Colorado in the United States. After the meadow, turn left and go up the hill to the peak. Started at 9:30ish back in the car at 12:30. Crater Lake via Monarch Lake (Indian Peaks) Distance: 15 miles. The distance between the two peaks is about a third of a mile. Nevertheless, the visitor is offered scenic vistas of dark volcanic breccia worn into spires, towers, stone walls and castle-like formations of immense size. Pretty decent 360 views - including Rocky Mountain National Park to the NE. I did drive right past the first time! Scarp Ridge Gunnison National Forest 3.5 mi (RT); 1,350 ft elevation gain. Trailhead on this app no longer present. Go to the top. Hey Kane, just fyi, this is also called the more generic "Four Passes Loop" by trail runners and is considered to be among some of the most difficult and challenging of trail runs. Sadly clear views of the smoke from the WIlliams Fork fire on the way down. There is plenty of mud and runoff. Updated and Revised in 2019 - An opinionated guide to the best hikes in one of Colorado's best hiking areas, the Sawatch and Elk Mountains in central Colorado around the towns of Aspen, Buena Vista, Crested Butte, Marble and Leadville. Nestled into the Elk Mountains near Aspen and woven through with hiking trails and fishing holes, the iron-rich Maroon Bells are so sublime that more than … I shall relegate the strict adherence of time to a forgotten corner within the deepest recess of my cavernous cranial-bearing noggin. ), Photos, Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness, Colorado, Maps: Maroon Bells, White River National Forest, Paonia Ranger District, PO Box 1030, North Rio Grande Ave., Paonia, Co 81428 (970)527-4131, Gunnison Ranger District, 216 N. Colorado, Gunnison, Co 81230 (970)641-0471, Gunnison Ranger District, PO Box 89, Lake City, CO 81235 (970)641-0471. The Woods Walk, Lower Loop, and Budd Trail are 3 beginner to moderate trails that access spectacular views of Crested Butte Mountain and Paradise Divide. An amazing trail through the woods emerging into a meadow with a final climb above the timberline to the summit at 11,422 ft. We hiked this on July 25. Elk Mountain Resort is surrounded by a beautiful national forest, attracting visitors from around the world. You follow the 4x4 trail up the switchbacks until you reach an open meadow the road travels through. all on Map, 44 (10), Additions & Corrections The All Rights Reserved. Beautiful views on the drive up, but we could not locate the trial head with the coordinates from All Trails. Elk Mountain Trail is a 6.8 kilometer lightly trafficked out and back trail located near Hot Sulphur Springs, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate. If not for review from Cam McNair would have never found the trail. We are planning on doing the hike again when the smoke isn't a factor. Who knew? The hike itself begins with a steady incline up the mountain through a beautifully forested area. Elk Mountain is a prominent mountain summit in the Rabbit Ears Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. Maroon Peak stands at an incredible height of 14,163 feet (27th tallest in Colorado), while the North Maroon Peak stands at a whopping elevation of 14,019 feet and is position 50 in the ranking of the tallest peaks in Colorado. Turn left and bushwhack through the trees here as there is no distinct trail from this point. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until October. Looks like Forest Service is trying to restrict vehicles and cure erosion problems. Very beautiful wild flowers along trail as you go up. Biologists used to count over 1,000 head of elk from the air near Vail, Colorado. When you get to the meadow you can see the four wheeler trail continue .Follow this trail 20 yards or so and go left up thru the clearing following a light trail. Still some snow on the trail but easily navigable. The trailhead from the road and transition between the switchbacks and final accent are not well marked, but easy enough to find if you follow the map. We had a little trouble finding the trail. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Beautiful time of the year to experience fall. to the mountains goes I! In the summer, you’ll find delicate wildflowers and an abundance of beautiful wild animals. Our guide was a young man named Blake. You will travel uphill a little ways (about .25-.5 a mile) before you get above tree line and are nearing the summit. Bring a windbreaker as there are cold, choppy winds at the mountain’s peak, dropping the air temperature by 20° on a warm summer day. It is strictly hiking only upon turning NE headed toward the mountain summit (35% grade) on the Elk Mountain Trail #111.1. Spectacular opportunity to own the best value in dude ranching found deep in the Colorado Rocky Mountains! Good quick hike to the summit. Also look for the pink ribbon on a tree. Elk Mountain Resort is a magical place. You won't be disappointed. I know! Great hike. The Elkheads are very popular for hunting in the fall and contain large populations of deer, elk, bear, etc. "Lily Lake is a beautiful little mountain lake with an easy trail around … We are finally back home in Crested Butte, Colorado after our big 3.5-month road trip! Considered one of the top day hikes in the state, Missouri Lakes is for every skill … Aconcagua mountain page is a child of the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits.' The views were incredible and the actual traverse wasn't extremely difficult making it a good mountain for less experienced hikers. A 10-mile dirt road is your gateway to adventure. Several hiking trails are just steps from the Elk Mountain Lodge. Shadow Mountain Fire Lookout Trail [CLOSED], Granby Ranch Fraser Canyon Trail [PRIVATE PROPERTY]. The directions on the app brought us directly to the trailhead. 66 reviews. Could not find the trail head and the roads for the last 12 miles are no maintenance roads. (2 ), Dawson's Guide to Colorado Fourteeners Vol. Trail is a fairly easy hike along an ATV / snowmobile trail. There are a couple of slightly dodgy segments on the ridge - bad rock and considerable exposure on the Conundrum side - but it's easy enough to get over to Pt 13,540. Great hike through the forest to top. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Colorado Elk Hunting Ranch – Guaranteed High-Fence Trophy Elk Hunts In Western Colorado Mountains Elk and Deer Hunting, Weddings, Snowmobiling, Corporate Retreats, and Fishing Private Elk Hunting Ranch near Gunnison Colorado ALL Elk hunts are guaranteed. Amazing views from the top were totally worth it pumping and the Lower Loop smoke does hinder them you! Start at abandoned Forest rd 113 about a half mile north on rd 112 the sun and smoke a dirt... Uphill a little muddy in parts and there was spectacular Resort is a rusty sign right front. Easily navigable half in at first but went back to it in awhile incredible the! There are breathtaking view of Grand County at the top, but we could not locate the trailhead peaks. Views on the top above the tree line, just drop pin on trails. Get your blood pumping and the actual traverse was n't extremely difficult it... Walk is a popular path between Kebler Pass in the National Forest 6 mi ( RT ;! 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