Tag: hiking
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Happy Trails in Summit County: Put this hike on your list for fall colors, leading to scenic lake
Meadow Creek Trail to Lily Pad Lake On our last visit to Summit County, our first stop was the Meadow Creek Trail. The path climbs through towering aspen, and we only wished it was autumn, so we could be surrounded by the golden glow. Next time, we told ourselves ー perhaps mid-September, when fall colors…
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Green Mountain Falls is a hiking paradise
For many years at a cozy restaurant nestled in the hills west of Colorado Springs, tired and dirt-stained friends have gathered around a table to recharge and revel in the day’s work on the trail. Until his death in 2021 at the age of 84, Dick Bratton was at the center of these gatherings. This…
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This scenic town west of Colorado Springs is a prime hiking destination
For many years at a cozy restaurant nestled in the hills west of Colorado Springs, tired and dirt-stained friends have gathered around a table to recharge and revel in the day’s work on the trail. Until his death in 2021 at the age of 84, Dick Bratton was at the center of these gatherings. This…
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Happy Trails: Getting off the road for more trail time to popular waterfall in Colorado Springs
Bruin Trail to Silver Cascade One of Colorado Springs’ most popular outdoor destinations is Helen Hunt Falls at the busy parking lot in North Cheyenne Cañon Park. Parking often fills in the summer, preventing the opportunity to continue on Silver Cascade Trail that climbs above Helen Hunt Falls to one of the city’s best overlooks. …
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Horseshoe Pass ascension with Peerless summit bonus | Take a Hike
Summer is the time to get above treeline and enjoy the alpine, and some routes deliver better than others, like the trek up to Horseshoe Pass that travels entirely through tundra. The route starts at about 11,500 feet where an old mining road winds up to the pass and the drive to the “trailhead” only…
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Horseshoe Pass ascension with Peerless summit bonus | Take a Hike
Summer is the time to get above treeline and enjoy the alpine, and some routes deliver better than others, like the trek up to Horseshoe Pass that travels entirely through tundra. The route starts at about 11,500 feet where an old mining road winds up to the pass and the drive to the “trailhead” only…
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Happy Trails: Panoramic views meet a Skyspace at Red Butte west of Colorado Springs
Red Butte Recreation Area It’s not all green defining the beauty of Green Mountain Falls. It’s also red ー namely Red Butte, the formation jutting between the great, coniferous hills on all sides of this quaint town west of Colorado Springs. The town is a hiking paradise, boasting the popular Catamount Trail that climbs out…
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Lost Canyon ‘a crown jewel’ now open to hikers on Colorado’s Front Range
Dozens of local officials, donors and advocates recently gathered atop a grassy mesa overlooking forests, rugged cliffs and distant mountains as far as the eye could see north to south. The gathering was about 10 minutes away from Interstate 25 but seemingly a world away. Castle Rock Parks Director Jeff Brauer stood before the group.…
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Lost Canyon ‘a crown jewel’ now open to hikers on Colorado’s Front Range
CASTLE ROCK • Dozens of local officials, donors and advocates recently gathered atop a grassy mesa overlooking forests, rugged cliffs and distant mountains as far as the eye could see north to south. The gathering was about 10 minutes away from Interstate 25 but seemingly a world away. Castle Rock Parks Director Jeff Brauer stood…
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Happy Trails: A troll surprise in a Wild West-reminiscent Colorado town
Why venture to the silent, remote town of Victor in Teller County? For a different view of this state, seemingly far removed from this resort era. For something grittier and more authentic, more like the Wild West. And for a troll. Yes, Victor’s main attraction just might be Rita the Rock Planter, the wooden sculpture…