Day hiking in Colorado 2020
We've done more day hikes near Fort Collins this year than ever before, a consequence of having more time (post official retirement) and covid restrictions (which resulted in not flying anywhere). Most hikes began up the Poudre River to the west of town, but not all. And, as seen below, most hiking areas were affected by wildfires that happened either in prior years or later this summer and fall. Here are the hikes, in chronological order.
Young Gulch Trail, March 31
Young Gulch heads south from Hyw 14 west of Fort Collins. This area burned in 2012 in the 87,000-acre High Park Fire and the trail was further damaged by a 2013 flood. After much work, the trail reopened in 2020.
Hewlett Gulch Trail, April 7
The Hewlett Gulch Trail heads south from Hwy 14 west of Fort Collins, in a rather arid area. The Hewlett Gulch Fire of 2012, which burned over 7000 acres, is still evident.
Bobcat Ridge, April 22
Bobcat Ridge is a natural area of the City of Fort Collins, although it is located a few miles southwest of town. Rita has led nature hikes there in recent years. The area burned in the 10,600-acre Bobcat Gulch Fire of 2000 and again at the edge of the much larger Cameron Peak Fire of 2020.
Madd Creek Trail, April 30
This trail is north of Steamboat Springs, about 150 miles west of Fort Collins. This area later burned in the 20,000-acre Middle Fork Fire, in the same crazy 2020 wildfire season as the fires near Fort Collins.
Red Mountain Open Space, May 6
Red Mountain Open Space is a protected area north of town managed by Larimer County, of which Fort Collins is the county seat.
Lower Bear Trail, May 19
This trail is near to, and north of, Steamboat Springs.
Lower Dadd Gulch Trail, May 27
This trail is up the Poudre Canyon west of Fort Collins. The trailhead is along Hwy 14. The area later burned in the Cameron Peak Fire of 2020.
Big South Trail, June 6
The Big South Trail begins as the Poudre River leaves Hwy 14 west of Fort Collins and neads southwest towards its headwaters in Rocky Mountain National Park. The area later burned in the Cameron Peak Fire of 2020.
Browns Lake Trail, June 11
The trail begins along the Crown Point Road, which runs east-west a few miles south of Hyw 14 and the Poudre River. There was too much snow to get all the way to the lake.
Young Gulch Trail, June 12
Our second hike up Young Gulch. Many more flowers this time, as spring advances. But the overall impression is still of an area struggling to recover from an 8-year old fire.
Emmaline Lake Trail, June 24
The Emmaline Lake Trail begins near Pingre Park, west of Fort Collins, and goes into Comanche Peak Wilderness Area. There was still lots of snow as we got close to the lake. Like so much of the area west of town, this was hit by the Cameron Peak Fire in September.
Browns Lake Trail, July 2
This was the second hike to Browns Lake, and because the snow had melted we made it to the lake. The flowers were fantastic (see the Flowers page for some of them). This area burned in the Cameron Peak Fire in September.
West Branch Trail, July 10
This trail begins at the Tunnel Campground up the Larimer River from the Poudre River, where we spent a couple nights with Jan, Barb, and Tracy. The trail goes into the Rawah Wilderness Area. Well into into July now, the flowers were a joy. Part of this trail burned in the Cameron Peak Fire later in the summer.
American Lakes Trail, July 17
This trail begins just over Cameron Pass, a continental divide along Hwy 14 going west from Fort Collins. Mid-July was peak flower season.
American Lakes Trail, August 13
Back to Amerian Lakes, this time with Peter, Leo, and Neusa. It was another great adventure, and this time with a dramatic ending, as we had to turn around at the pass because the wind was blowing the smoke from a new wildfire, which was later named Cameron Peak Fire, across the road. It went on to become the largest forest fire in Colorado recorded history, at 209,000 acres . We took the long way home, via Laramie Wyoming.
Day 1 of the Cameron Peak Fire, seen from Cameron Pass, blocking our way home after a great day of hiking.
St. Vrain Peak Trail, August 27
This trail begins near Allenspark, southwest of Lyons, CO. It goes into the Indian Peaks Wilderness Area, and has marvelous views of peaks at the south end of Rocky Mountain National Park, including Longs Peak, a favorite hiking destination when we were younger.
Arthur's Rock Trail, Thanksgiving day
This trail is in Lory State Park, just west of Fort Collins.
Pawnee Buttes, Christmas day
The Buttes are in the Pawnee Buttes National Grassland, about 45 miles east of Fort Collins.
