LET’S GO HIKNG SUMMER VENTURE

http://www.rockymountainhikingtrails.com/gem-lake.htm

Mitchell and Blue Lake Trails – near Ward, CO http://www.beyondboulder.com/mitchell-blue-lakes This is a beautiful hike with spectacular mountain lake at the turn around point of Blue Lake. The portion of the hike to Blue Lake is more difficult but total hike round trip distance is about 7.45 miles. Going only to the easier Mitchell Lake is easier choice. Getting to this trailhead early will allow you the best parking options in this crowded Brainard Lake Recreation Area.

Glen and Sara Gilbert’s favorite hikes

Rocky Mountain National Park – Note summer of 2020: you need to reserve a spot to enter the park during Covid19 Pandemic. https://www.nps.gov/romo/planyourvisit/permitsandreservations.htm (Some of these trails could have closures during summer of 2020. Check with RMNP website. Google the hike names to find out info on trailhead directions, round trip miles and other features such as elevation gain and difficulty. • Deer Mountain (close to East entrance and great views of Estes Park) • Thatch Top Mountain (less popular destination and some route finding needed) • Ouzel Falls (spring runoff is spectacular)

• Pear Lake (calm lake that has a lesser used trailhead in Allen’s Park) • Lion Lakes (high mountain lakes and wildflowers galore on this long hike) • Thunder Lake (another spectacular high mountain lake on this long hike) • Lake Haiyaha (rimmed with craggy peaks slightly away from the more popular ) • Mills Lake and Black Lake (stick your feet in Mills Lake as you pass by on your way to Black Lake) • Sky Pond (Fun hike past The Loch with a final climb/scramble up a small rock wall) • (Mountain Tundra galore on this mountain….you can even hike 20 miles all the way to Grand Lake for a “lake to lake” excursion by traveling from to Grand Lake) • Mount Ida (West of Continental Divide and beautiful wind- blown top of the world) • Lake Helene (Part of RMNP “Swiss Alps”) • Twin Sisters (great elevation gain hike with perfect view of Long’s Peak at the top and possibly mountain sheep along the way) • Long’s Peak (routes include Keyhole, Clark’s Arrow, and Kiplinger’s Couloir – do not attempt this without lots of training, planning, physical abilities, expert traveling companions!

Other Hikes • Horsetooth Falls Route to Horsetooth Rock in the spring (lots of green and wildflowers in the spring) • Pawnee Pass above Lake Isabelle (Brainerd Lake Recreation area beautiful lake and unbelievable rocky pass over the Continental Divide) • 14ers Democrat, Lincoln, Bross (these three 14ers can be done in one day….with proper training and preparation) • Young’s Gulch (hike this easy hike in the spring or early summer when the brook is bubbling, wildflowers are thriving, and birds are chirping). Just a few miles up the Poudre River.

A couple of great hike resource books are listed below: Rocky Mountain National Park: The Complete Hiking Guide, by Lisa Foster 100 Classic Hikes in Colorado, by Scott S. Warren