Trail Shoes Aurora CO

Activities: Hiking, Mountain Biking, Snowshoeing

Info:
State: Colorado
Location: Pike & San Isabel National Forests
Length: One-Way: 1.5 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 7600 feet
Maximum Elevation: 9100 feet
Best Season: Summer, Fall
Usage: Heavy

Description: The 7 Bridges Trail is a heavily used trail. There are numerous side trails but the main trail turns into Pipeline Trail # 668 which goes to Frosty Park. The 7 Bridges Trail is also known as North Cheyenne Creek Trail. Many of the bridges have been destroyed due to floods.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Colorado
Location: Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
Length: One-Way: 8 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 8200 feet
Maximum Elevation: 10730 feet
Best Season: June to October
Difficulty: Difficult
Usage: Light

Description: The Roaring Fork Trail follows Roaring Fork Creek from its mouth, where it spills into Lake Granby toward its source. The beginning of the trail climbs very steeply, gaining 1,000 feet over the first 2 miles. Near the top of this steep section, you will see and hear Roaring Falls. Upon reaching the top of the wide switchbacks, the trail becomes much more gradual for the next two miles. Near the end of Roaring Fork valley, the trail splits off of Roaring Fork Creek, following a side drainage up to a saddle between Hiamovi Mountain (to the north) and Mount Irving Hale (to the south). The trail then descends into Hell Canyon to its destination at Stone and Upper Lakes.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Colorado
Location: Great Sand Dunes National Monument
Length: One-Way: 4 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 9600 feet
Maximum Elevation: 11500 feet
Elevation Change: 1900 feet
Best Season: Summer
Difficulty: Most Difficult
Usage: Moderate

Description: The trail to Medano Lake begins at 9600 feet and 0.5 miles west of Medano Pass in a stand of spruce and fir trees. The trail then climbs fairly gently as it follows Medano Creek to Medano Lake. This popular trail gradually rises through the forest with few views until you reach Medano Lake. The dunes can be seen by Hiking to the ridge lines above the lake. Summer and early fall are usually the best times for Hiking at Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve. And snow may block the trail through June.

Activities: Hiking

Info:
State: Colorado
Location: Pike & San Isabel National Forests
Length: One-Way: 8.8 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 9620 feet
Maximum Elevation: 12620 feet
Best Season: Summer
Difficulty: Difficult
Usage: Light

Description: The Abyss Lake Trail is an extremely popular Hiking trail, which terminates at Abyss Lake. The lake is nestled in a high glacial cirque between Mt. Bierstadt and Mt. Evans. The rocky slopes surrounding the lake are home to bighorn sheep and mountain goats. The first half of the trail heads in a northeasterly direction up the Scott Gomer Creek drainage. Shortly after the first crossing of the Scott Gomer Creek, Mt. Bierstadt will come into view ahead and on your left. After the third crossing of Scott Gomer Creek you will reach a trail junction with the Rosalie Trail. Here the Abyss Lake Trail joins the Rosalie Trail and turns to the northwest. For the next short distance you will be on both the Abyss Lake and Rosalie Trails. Note that from here on this portion of the trail is not located as it appears on the “Photo-revised 1974? copy of the Mt. Evans quad map. At the next junction, the Rosalie Trail continues up to Guanella Pass and the Abyss Lake Trail bears right across several small streams, then begins a series of fairly steep switchbacks, bearing again in a northeasterly direction. After leaving the lake, you will continue up the valley through the willows until you cross the Lake Fork stream draining out of Abyss Lake. From this point the trail begins to head in a more westerly direction across the tundra. The remnants of an airplane crash were visible for many years along this portion of the trail, until they were hauled out in late 1996. The trail terminates at Abyss Lake. The elevation gain, together with the round trip distance of 18 miles makes this a strenuous day hike. The lower portion of the trail is sometimes incorrectly referred to as the “Scott Gomer Trail” because of its location along Scott Gomer Creek. This trail, in combination with the Threemile and Rosalie Trails, offers some interesting extended hikes through other portions of the Mt. Evans Wilderness. You should be alert to the possible development of summer afternoon storms with their accompanying lightening, particularly above treeline. Because the trail is almost entirely in designated wilderness, Wilderness regulations apply.

Activities: Hiking, Snowshoeing

Info:
State: Colorado
Location: Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
Length: One-Way: 6.9 miles
Trail type: Out and Back
Minimum Elevation: 10460 feet
Maximum Elevation: 11250 feet
Best Season: June to October
Difficulty: Moderate
Usage: Heavy

Description: The Beaver Creek Trail begins at the Mitchell Lake Trailhead. This is the same trailhead as the Mitchell Lake Trail, but it leaves at the west end of the parking lot and the Beaver Creek Trail exits to the north. It climbs into the Indian Peaks Wilderness, then in another half mile, switchbacks up a steep pitch. It circles the ridge near treeline, then just above the treeline, about 1.7 miles from the trailhead, the Mt. Audubon Trail forks left. Beaver Creek Trail continues northward for another 3.4 miles, descending the northeastern flank of the mountain on a very nice old graded trail, dropping into Coney Flats. For the northern half of this distance, it follows the Indian Peaks Wilderness boundary. During winter, the Beaver Creek Trail becomes the domain of snowshoers.