Fairplay, Colorado

You'll being your ascent at the Missouri Gulch Trailhead, which is located a few miles up Chaffee County Road 390, at around 9,600 feet. The trail is very clear and very well maintained, but is steeper than most trails (even quite a few of the 14er trails I've done) right from the get-go. Remembe...

Starting at the Meadow Creek trailhead in Frisco, you'll find yourself ending up in East Vail at Gore Lake Trailhead. See all photos here.  The trail in Meadow Creek starts to climb at a gradual pace for the 3-4 miles, after a mile or so, take a look back upon the views of Lake Dillion. You'll ar...

Directions:  Heading south from Leadville from U.S. 24: West on CO 82 for 10.5 miles to a hidden right turn that leads to a trail head. If you make it to the Mt. Elbert Lodge, you have gone just a bit too far. The parking lot (aka: dirt access) should be relatively empty as everyone tends to hik...

The trail begins just past historical Main Street Montezuma. You will see a sign on your right for St. Johns road. This road is officially marked as 275 on a map. The original road lead to St. Johns but not much of the town remains.You will cross the Snake River almost immediately after you turn ...

To get to the southern end of the lake from Denver, head west on 70 until you reach 9. Take 9 for a few miles until you find the spot on the lake where you want to get started. On the south side of Lake Dillon, there was an abundance of old stumps lining the beach, which would occasionally drift...

Shrine Ridge is one of the most incredible wildflower spots in the state of Colorado. Not only is the area incredibly beautiful with carpets of flowers covering verdant mountainsides, it's only a 1.5-hour drive from Denver. The ridge summit is a short 2-mile hike from the parking area at Shrine P...

Starting at just over 9,000ft the Meadow Creek trail follows the path of the similarly named Meadow Creek. Through a canopy of aspens and pines the trail climbs at a steady, moderate rate. After a few water crossings the trees give way to an alpine meadow that offer a view of the final approach t...

Starting at the Meadow Creek Trail head just off the turn off to Frisco this hike connects the stunning Eccles Pass and Gore Creek trails. Passing over Eccles Pass (11,917') and Red Buffalo Pass (11,742') this spectacular hike passes through dense forest, serene lakes and bubbling creeks. The V...

How you get to Morgan Peak and the other 13ers in the area depends on if you have a 4-wheel drive with good clearance or not. If so, drive the rough Santa Fe road from the small town of Montezuma (just outside Keystone). The road is also known as Forest Service 264 and is a left at the stop sign ...

Today, Lake Dillon is one of the biggest attractions in the Dillon Valley, attracting boaters, anglers, and campers. However, the large reservoir we know today was not the first one in the area.  The Old Dillon Reservoir was built in the 1930s to supply water to the original town of Dillon, which...

This campground is a great spot to crash at before heading out on a backpacking trip through the Lost Creek Wilderness but serves as an amazing campground itself. The area immediately surrounding the campground is beautiful. There are 12 campsites that can accomodate two vehicles per site and eac...

I included a trail map of where I camped. There are many sites all throughout this area. From the Lost Park Campground Parking lot follow the Lost Creek for 2.4 miles. At the 1 mile mark was the best place that we found to cross the creek (there are two logs that make a bridge across the creek). ...

The Fancy Pass Trail near Red Cliff is an excellent option for those looking to experience hiking in the rugged and pristine conditions of a wilderness area. This 6 mile roundtrip trail will take you into the Holy Cross Wilderness and up close and personal with towering peaks, verdant meadows, an...

Lily Pad Lake is a well known destination just outside of Silverthorne and in the Eagle's Nest Wilderness. The trail may be heavily trafficked on the weekends, but solitude can still be found in the early mornings or during the weekdays. The trail starts at the Lily Pad Lake Trailhead, just to t...

This lake chain is in a spectacular, undeveloped bowl of jagged and rugged mountain goodness located in the Holy Cross Wilderness Area. This hidden gem is easily accessible and, to my amazement, it is relatively unheard of even among many locals. More wonderful perks included in this backpacking ...

Start your hike at the North Cottonwood Creek Trailhead. The trail begins at the end of the parking lot. You'll cross a bridge and meander along the creek, eventually reaching another bridge crossing at about 1.5 miles.After this bridge, you'll reach a trail junction. Be sure to go right (towards...