Hike with the Coloradoan this summer
View photos from the first group hike above; scroll down to see photos from hikes to Ouzel Falls, Twin Sisters Peak, Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak and Clark Peak and Longs Peak. Learn more about our hiking series, including how to join in the fun, below.
Let's hike together this summer.
Colorado's peaks are calling, none more loudly than Longs Peak, the jewel of Rocky Mountain National Park.
The 14,259-foot-tall peak has long been on my own bucket list and this year I'm getting it done.
And I want you to come with me.
Kicking off May 16, the Coloradoan and Xplore will host a summer-long hiking series, culminating in a summit attempt of Longs Peak. Each hike will take us a little higher up Colorado's thin air, all preparing our bodies for the long trek up Longs. View photos from the first group hike above.
We'll hike to the highest points in Larimer County (Hagues Peak) and Jackson County (Clark Peak) and spend lots of time above treeline in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Get your hiking shoes broken in. We're going to log some serious miles. And have some serious fun.
This is the schedule:
•May 16: Horsetooth Rock 7,255 feet. This ties into the Coloradoan's 15 in 15: Fort Collins Bucket list activities and is a launching point for the series.
•June 6: Ouzel Lake 10,010 feet.
•June 20: Twin Sisters Peak 11,428 feet
•July 11: Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak 12,324 feet and 12,713 feet
•July 25: Clark Peak 12,951 feet (tallest point in Jackson County)
•Aug. 8: Hagues Peak 13,560 feet (tallest point in Larimer County)
•Aug. 29, 27, 28 or 29: Longs Peak 14,259 feet
Horsetooth Rock
•Distance: 2.5 miles one way
•Difficulty: Moderate
•Elevation range: 5,755 to 7,255 feet
•Trailhead: Take Larimer County Road 38E west around the south end of Horsetooth Reservoir for about 6 miles to Horsetooth Mountain Open Space parking lot.
•Fees: $6
•Information: Larimer County Parks, 970-679-4570 or www.larimer.org/naturalresources
•Why go: The hike to the top of the 7,255-foot oddly shaped rock is the prime destination in this 2,500-acre park with more than 25 miles of trails. So the elevation isn't all that impressive, but Fort Collins hiker Jen Sajbel used Horsetooth to train to climb all 54 of Colorado's fourteeners, a feat she accomplished in 2005.
Ouzel Lake
•Distance: 4.9 miles one way
•Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
•Elevation range: 8,500 to 10,010 feet
•Trailhead: From Estes Park, head south on Colorado Highway 7 to the Wild Basin Entrance Station to Rocky Mountain National Park. From the entrance station, drive another 2 miles inside the park to the trailhead.
•Fees: $20 for a seven-day pass or $40 for an annual parks pass
•Information:www.nps.gov/romo or 970-586-1206
•Why go: You'll get your money's worth on this hike, with views of Calypso Cascades and Ouzel Falls, as St. Vrain and Ouzel creeks flow freely along the trail. Portions of the trail, including a bridge over Ouzel Creek, were damaged in the September 2013 flood. Ouzel Lake sits at the foot of 13,176-foot Copeland Mountain.
Twin Sisters
•Distance: 3.7 miles one way
•Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
•Elevation range: 9,090 to 11,428 feet
•Trailhead: From Estes Park, head south on Colorado Highway 7 to Rocky Mountain National Park's Lily Lake area. Follow signs to the trailhead across the highway from Lily Lake.
•Fees: None
•Information:www.nps.gov/romo or 970-586-1206
•Why go: Twin Sisters packs a punch, a great tune-up for the more popular Longs Peak with nearly 2,500 feet of elevation gain. Enjoy great views of the Front Range. The September 2013 flood impacted the switchbacks leading to the upper portion of the trail.
Flattop Mountain and Hallett Peak
•Distance: 5.1 miles one way
•Difficulty: Strenuous
•Elevation range: 9,475 to 12,713 feet
•Trailhead: From the main Beaver Meadows entrance to Rocky Mountain National Park, head west one-quarter of a mile to Bear Lake Road. Take Bear Lake Road about 8 miles to the parking lot.
•Fees: $20 for a seven-day pass or $40 for an annual parks pass
•Information: www.nps.gov/romo or 970-586-1206
•Why go: Knock out two peaks from the popular Bear Lake trailhead. Flattop Mountain rises to 12,324 feet, and from there, follow the cairns to Tyndall Glacier, which sits in the cirque between Flattop and Hallett Peak. Some steep sections take you to the top of Hallett, where you'll be rewarded with splendid views of Otis Peak, Taylor Peak and the granddaddy of them all, 14,259-foot Longs Peak.
Clark Peak
Distance: 3.7 miles one way
Difficulty: Moderate to difficult
Elevation range: 9,600 to 12,951 feet.
Trailhead: Take U.S. Highway 287 north to Colorado Highway 14, then go 79 miles, over Cameron Pass and through Gould to Jackson County Road 41. Turn right. Go about 2.2 miles to a sign for Jewel Lake. Take this road 1.5 miles to the parking area. If you have a four-wheel drive, you might be able to go for another 1.5 miles.
Fees: $7 daily entry pass State Forest State Park
Information: State Forest State Park http://cpw.state.co.us/placestogo/parks/StateForest or 970-723-8366 or Roosevelt National Forest http://www.fs.usda.gov/arp.
Why go: Because it's the tallest peak in Jackson County. This lonely peak in the Rawah Range of the Medicine Bow Mountains straddles the Jackson-Larimer border. It offers unparalleled views of the area. To the west is North Park, to the north the Medicine Bows to the east the Poudre Canyon and to the south Rocky Mountain National Park.
Hagues Peak
•Distance: 9 miles one way
•Difficulty: Difficult
•Elevation range: 8,620 to 13,560 feet.
•Trailhead: From Estes Park, go west on U.S. Highway 34 through the Fall River entrance for several miles to the turnoff to Fall River Road, which is expected to reopen to vehicles this July following the September 2013 flood. The trailhead is at the first parking lot once you turn on to Fall River Road
•Fees: $20 for a seven-day pass or $40 for an annual parks pass
•Information:www.nps.gov/romo or 970-586-1206
•Why go: Because it's the tallest peak in Larimer County. Though you won't encounter hair-raising exposure, there is some serious rock scrambling toward the top — good training for Longs peak. The hike is a long grind and the threat of lightning means get up there early. For the truly ambitious, 13,502-foot Fairchild Mountain is doable from the same saddle as Hagues.
Longs Peak
•Distance: 8 miles one way
•Difficulty: Difficult
•Elevation range: 9,400-14,259 feet.
•Trailhead: From Estes Park, take Colorado Highway 7 south about 9 miles to the Longs Peak Ranger Station. Turn right and follow the road to the parking lot. The parking lot fills quickly, so get there early.
•Fees: None
•Information: www.nps.gov/romo or 970-586-1206
•Why go: Because it's the closest fourteener to Fort Collins and it's what we're working toward this summer. You can't see it from below, but the summit is quite large and the views are outstanding. The Keyhole will blow you away. Be extra careful for falling rock in the Trough. This is not a hike for the unprepared; careless people die here. Not a good first-time fourteener.
Xplore reporter Stephen Meyers covers the outdoors and recreation for the Coloradoan. Follow him on Twitter @stemeyer or Facebook.com/meyersreports.