Trails
Summary
Difficulty
Distance
Red Elephant Hill, Empire Loop 4x4 Trail
Fun, steep trail to interesting Empire Hilton Cabin
Fun, steep trail to interesting Empire Hilton Cabin
Difficult
13.0 mi/
21 km
21 km
Guides
3.1 mile trail near Ninetyfour, Colorado
Steep climb to scenic, high-mountain lake
Fun, steep trail to interesting Empire Hilton Cabin
Community Trips
First off, you will notice that my GPS jumped around just a little. I'm not sure why, but I guess that's the way it goes.The hike up St. Mary's Lake is an easy hike for the whole family; we even brought our dog along. The trail around Fox Mountain is very scienic, but whatch your footing on the loose rocks. Watch for humming birds and ground squirrels along the route as they...
From Denver take I-70 to exit 234 at Downieville. Turn right at the
bottom of the exit, then left again to run alongside the highway on the
frontage road. Travel west to cross under I-70 and past the entrance to
Spring Creek. Keep going until you cross under I-70 again and turn
right on a dirt road immediately after going under the highway (only a
few feet from the...
Starting at the Moffat Tunnel which is directly west of Rollinsville. Head up along the trail marked for Crater Lakes. Went all the way up to the upper Crater Lakes.
James Peak (13,294'), Kingston Peak (12,147') Traverse
Ninetyfour, Colorado, United States
8.9 miles
8.9 miles
A day-hike in the Indian Peaks....a glacier climb, and I get to summit my namesake peak, James Peak (13,294'). And, since the weather was so great, we decided to go for the extra credit and hike to the summit of Kingston Peak (12,147').The wind was blowing a steady 25 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph, based on Berthoud Pass measurements. But the sky was blue, and the slopes easy, so we rewarded...
"When you come to a fork in the trail, take it!"...compliments of Yogi Berra ( "When you come to a fork in the road, take it.").A couple of years ago, we took the left fork in the S. Boulder Creek Trail to Heart Lake. This time we took the right fork to Crater Lakes.A couple of overnights at the Lower Crater Lake (10,600'), allowed us to explore the upper lakes, and kick-back and enjoy...
Ever read the "Choose Your Own Adventure" books as a kid? Well, Mike and I clearly have..........Once we reached James Peak Lake we lost the trail, and later we figured out the reason was we should have hiked around Echo Lake to approach the ridge. But again, we were 'choosing our own adventure,' so who needs some stinkin' trail anyway. However, with this alternative approach up to the ridge came a much...
The hike to Crater Lakes is a great hike for the entire family. I would rate it easy to moderate depending on your fitness level. The hike begins at the Moffat Tunnel, otherwise known as the east portal. As you can see by the photographs, we were lucky enough to watch a train go through the tunnel as we finished our hike. The first two miles of the hike is very easy...
"Water, water, everywhere....plenty to drink!" This is a hike with plenty of wildflowers, and lush undergrowth.The trailhead is at the East Portal of the Moffat Tunnel. If you're lucky as we were, you'll catch an AMTRAK entering or leaving the tunnel, and hear the roar of the giant exhaust fans. The Moffat Tunnel is 6.2 mi.s long, and cuts through the Continental Divide. It provides easy access for Denver skiers bound for...
Hike past the glacier up to a flat open area, and see James peak in front of you. We didn't make it to the top but found a good spot over 12,000 feet with great views. Its not difficult, but scrambling over rocks and ice in parts on the way to the flats can be slow going.
Reviews
