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Category: Trails

Unique in Colorado, Elliott Ridge, on the west side of the Gore Range, consists of a broad, gentle ridge that runs above tree line for about 6 miles. Now a part of the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area, Elliott Ridge was used to graze sheep as long ago as the early 1900s. Some stone structures along the ridge may have been built as shelters by the sheepherders, though this is just speculation.The normal end point for this hike is Meridian Peak, a gentle summit directly across from Eagles Nest, although as a fellow hiker we met said, "The trail is the destination." This easy ridge walk along an old jeep road allows you to enjoy spectacular views of the rugged Gore Range to the east and the Holy Cross Wilderness to the west.

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Hiking from The Crags campground up to Devil's Playground can be a strenuous journey, though it's also your easiest path to Pike's Peak (the trail continues on from Devil's Playground to the peak). It's a nearly constant climb, fairly steep in places, and as it begins at 10,100 feet elevation, oxygen (or lack thereof) is an issue. On the plus side, though, the views west are fantastic (see the pictures below) and this trail is pretty much guaranteed to not be too crowded. We hiked it as a means to watch the Pikes Peak Hillclimb, and even though many other people were hiking it for the same reason, it really wasn't bad once you got on the trail. The parking lot was a mess though, with maybe 15-20 cars having to park roadside at the entrance to The Crags campground instead. Keep in mind that much of this trail is above timberline, with parts of it being along the top of a ridge leading to Devil's Playground. As such, be sure you're well on your way back down before any thunderstorms arrive.There's one main trail leaving the parking lot for the Crags, take that one. After a short distance (a few hundred yards), you'll see some large diameter pipes sticking out of the ground on your left, and a couple dozen yards later there will be a wood bridge crossing the stream to your right. Take that bridge, and shortly thereafter a sign will confirm you're heading towards Devil's Playground; from this point it's pretty easy to recognize the trail and you won't have any problems. Plan on it taking 2-3 hours to hike up to Devil's Playground.You can read a much more detailed description of the hike here.

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The Lovell Gulch Trail is a real local gem in our opinion. It's not because it's the best trail in Colorado, but that it's a fantastic trail that's so incredibly close...one of those trails where you drive just a short distance, and in time at all, you feel like you're away from it all. The hike starts out in a somewhat residential setting, with a few houses and overhead power lines to deal with. Those are quickly left behind, and you'll enjoy a trail that meanders along a creek, eventually heading up to Rampart Range Road before looping back down. Along the way, various side spurs provide opportunities for exploration. The are a few nice views of Woodland Park, but for the most part the scenery consists of forest vegetation. The trail can be steep in places; bicyclists may wish to traverse the loop in a counter-clockwise direction as otherwise you'll be facing a long, steep uphill section with poor traction as the trail surface is quite loose.The trail is popular with mountain bikers and hikers, and especially popular with dog owners - it seems most people on the trail have at least one dog tagging along (one biker we saw had three!). If you do venture off trail to explore the various singletrack offshoots, be sure to stick to the singletrack and not go off-road - there is an abundance of wildflowers and other ground cover that could be damaged if you do.The trail is about five miles (round trip), and there's approximately 900' elevation gain. Plan on it taking 2-3 hours.

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Category: Trails

Putney Gulch was a hike we really just stumbled across one day. We were making our second attempt the visit The Crags (the first attempt being thwarted by late spring snow too deep for our Subaru to handle), when we took a wrong turn. Or rather, *failed* to turn into the campground to get to the trailhead. Instead, we ended up at a dead end about half a mile down the road, with plenty of shaded parking and a welcoming trailhead sign. Since we were meeting some people up there, we turned around to go back to the Crags to find them, only to learn that the trailhead parking lot down there was full. So, we ventured back up the road yet again to explore Putney Gulch and avoid the crowds that had descended upon The Crags.

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