Ski season is underway, but not everyone is a skier. That means it’s O time for others, also there are lots of paths to explore in a short drive of metro areas along the Front Range.
The trails are the ones which keep their snow and build up a snowpack when it has to do with snowshoeing. It’s much fun to try and drag oversize, those spiked “sneakers ” round rocky terrain sitting above slick ice or under a thin coating of snow. Here’s a choice of paths a short drive from Denver which are great for snowshoeing and investigating through the winter:
Golden Gate Canyon State Park
Where: 92 Crawford Gulch Road, Golden
Course length: 3-mile loop (Snowshoe Hare Trail) or 6.7-mile loop (Mountain Lion Trail)
Gear lease: Stop from Mountainside Gear Rental in Golden the day before you place out so you can find an early start on the trail.
Check at the visitor center to find the latest on trail conditions in this park, in which you’ll find 35 miles of paths. My favorites include Snowshoe Hare Trail and Mountain Lion Trail for its variety of terrain on every. On the Snowshoe Hare Trail, the trail is broad and altitude gain is around a mere 300 ft, in which you wind up at a small (probably suspended ) lake; on the Mountain Lion Trail, if you decide to do the complete loop, you will find segments with steep ascents (360-degree views are worth it though!) As well as meadows, creek crossings and thick forests.
Rocky Mountain National Park
Where: Multiple entrances in Estes Park
Route length: .05-mile loop (Sprague Lake); .08-mile loop (Bear Lake); 1.2 kilometers one-way out-and-back (Nymph Lake); 1.25 one-way out-and-back (Old Fall River Road); 3 kilometers out-and-back (Upper Beaver Meadows Road)
Gear rental: Check out Estes Park Mountain Shop for snowshoe rentals for as little as $5.
There are numerous trails to choose from in Rocky Mountain National Park, and some have access through winter. Bear Lake offers an easy .08-mile loop trail or a mild ascent of just more than a mile to Nymph Lake. It’s pretty to see the lakes and icicles hanging from the stone because you snowshoe around. Think about adding to a distance by moving on to Dream Lake and Emerald Lake.
Another simple alternative is Sprague Lake, that is situated off the street en route to Bear Lake. It’s only a loop around the lake. You get opinions about 12,713-foot Hallett Peak and the Flattop Mountain. Remember the altitude is pretty high Though some of these spaces may seem too simple; for instance, Sprague Lake sits at 8,688 feet over sea level.
Old Fall River Road opens to vehicles at the winter and becomes an excellent snowshoe route instead. Park near the gate indicating the street as snowshoe onto a for about a mile, and closed. There’s a fairly good likelihood of seeing moose, elk and other wildlife up here. About a ¼ mile up the dirt street part is Cascade Falls, a wonder at this time of year.
The Upper Beaver Meadows Road is closed in the winter and provides a flat, three-mile roundtrip chance to stomping around in potentially snow to become used to beginning snowshoers.
The Rocky Mountain Conservancy, a non-profit institution that affirms Rocky Mountain National Park, contributes snowshoe treks during the winter. Children 13 and under are free, others are $10 and snowshoes are contained for use throughout the winter ecology course.
Always contact the park beforehand for the street and snow conditions.
Jenny Creek Trail
Where: Trailhead located outside the Eldora Ski Resort parking area east of the Eldora sign
Course length: 5 kilometers off (out-and-back)
Gear lease: Rent snowshoes from the Eldora Nordic Center should you didn’t even bring your own.
The Eldora ski resort has a Nordic center and Nordic paths, but it’s also the entry point into the Jenny Creek Trail #808 on U.S. Forest Service property. Starting on the west side of the bunny slope (aka Tenderfoot)it’s a steep hike up the mountain that then bends to the right until you have a left and follow signs to the Jenny Creek Trail following another right turn. You & rsquo; ll be along parts of the trail at the very top of roped-off slopes that are green to blue, but are only from the trees. It’s calm in here considering the busyness of the resort. The Arestua Hut is the destination of most on this trail (branch away to the Guinn Mountain Trail #820), but it is possible to turn around everywhere. There are no dogs.
Hessie Trailhead
Where: 1120 Hessie Road, Nederland
Route duration: 3.5 miles roundtrip out-and-back (Lost Lake Trail via Devil’s Thumb Trail)
Gear rental: Crystal Ski Shop at Boulder opens at 7 pm each day, so that you may stop in on the road to the trail.
The key on this particular route is that you may be adding some distance when the access road is closed at the town of Eldora. If the street is open, you’ll push about a mile down a dirt road to the junction of their Hessie and Fourth of July trailheads and park (there’s a port-a-potty from the area ). Take the fork to the left which dips down to a suspended creek/road (beware the potholes that might have a running creek underneath!) And continue west along the Devil’s Thumb Trail #902 staying left along with other trail options. When you reach the junction with the Lost Lake trail, consider the Lost Lake Trail #813 uphill a short distance to the lake.
Lory State Park
Where: 708 Lodgepole Drive, Bellvue
Course length: 2.2 mph one-way out-and-back to 2.7 mph one-way out-and-back
Gear rental: Head to Outpost Sunsport at Fort Collins for affordable snowshoe rentals.
For novice and intermediate snowshoers, the horizontal East and West Valley paths that parallel the main road are a perfect alternative for getting the heart rate up . Red sandstone hogbacks, Horsetooth Reservoir coves and bridges are some of the highlights while snowshoeing here, whilst altitude stays at a sea level. The South Valley Trail is a 2.7-mile simple route that connects with the Horsetooth Mountain Open Space route network. Examine the park’s calendar for upcoming events when the Friends of Lory State Park provide hot drinks and snacks .
Spruce Mountain Open Space Trail
Where: 13415 S. Spruce Mountain Road, Larkspur
Route length: 5.5-mile loop
Gear leasing: Whether you’re coming from Denver or Colorado Springs, you can rent snowshoes at an REI location. REI also has Avalanche Awareness classes for all sports.
South of Denver and earlier Colorado Springs has been Spruce Mountain Open Space, involving the towns of Larkspur and Palmer Lake. If there’s been snow, then you are able to tromp around the meadows at the base of a mesa; if you want more of a challenge, hike to the peak of the mesa in which the trees keep the snow set up for a lot of the winter. This loop is 5.5 kilometers and provides you views to the west and east.
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