Also by Pete KJ
Fiction
Mermelada
The Coins
The Maple Leaf
The Rooster’s Hindquarters
Black Volta
Nonfiction
The Year We Roamed:A Father-and-Son Trip Around the World
Roaming Around:A Daughter and Father World Journey
IMBRIFEX BOOKS
Published by Flattop Productions, Inc.
8275 S. Eastern Avenue, Suite 200
Las Vegas, NV 89123, USA
Base Camp Denver: 101 Hikes in Colorado’s Front Range
Copyright © 2019 by Pete KJ. All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission from the publisher, except in the case of brief quotations used in critical articles and reviews.
This publication is provided for informational and educational purposes. The information contained in the publication is true to the best of our knowledge, however no representations or warranties are made with respect to its accuracy or safety, and the Publisher and author assume no liability for its use. Outdoor activities are always potentially dangerous. Awareness of local conditions and weather coupled with good decision-making skills and astute judgment will help reduce potential hazards and risks. Preparing yourself with the proper equipment and outdoor skills will lead to an enjoyable experience. The information contained herein is true and complete, however things can change after a guide book is published—trails are rerouted, trailhead signs are removed or damaged, jurisdiction changes in governmental management of an area can affect routes, seasonal impacts, etc. Corrections, updates and suggestions may be sent to the author at [email protected].
Editor: Nancy Zerbey
Cover and Book Designer: Sue Campbell Book Design
Maps: Chris Erichsen
All interior photos by the author except as noted.
Cover photos: (background) Oleksandr Buzko, iStockphoto; (hikers) Kerkez, iStockphoto Author Photo: Brooke Warren
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: KJ, Pete, author.
Title: Base camp Denver : 101 hikes in Colorado's Front Range / Pete KJ.
Description: First edition. | Las Vegas, NV : Imbrifex Books, [2019] | Includes index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018042815 (print) | LCCN 2018050253 (ebook)
| ISBN 9781945501135 (alk. paper) | ISBN 9781945501142 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Hiking--Front Range (Colo. and Wyo.)--Guidebooks. |
Hiking--Colorado--Denver Region--Guidebooks. | Front Range (Colo. and
Wyo.)--Guidebooks. | Denver (Colo.)--Guidebooks.
Classification: LCC GV199.42.C62 (ebook) | LCC GV199.42.C62 F675 2019 (print)
| DDC 796.510978--dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018042815
First Edition: April 2019
Printed in the Republic of South Korea
IMBRIFEX® is a registered trademark of Flattop Productions, Inc.
ISBN 9781945501135 (trade paper)
ISBN 9781945501142 (e-book)
BaseCampGuides.com | Imbrifex.com
This book is dedicated to memories of Harvey Manning, Helen Sherman, Bob Spring, and Ira Spring, who created the guidebooks in the 1970s that opened my world up to a lifetime of hiking.
Before You Hit the Trail
Denver is an awesome base camp for day hikers. You can catch the sunrise from a mountaintop and still make it to work in the morning. You can wander remote wilderness by day, and then hit a great restaurant and sleep in a bed at night.
With so much great hiking so close to the city, it can be hard to know where to begin. It’s easy to get lost in hiking websites and their pop-up windows before leaving the house, and just as easy to fall into the habit of walking the same handful of beloved trails over and over again. This book bridges the gap, offering 101 carefully chosen hikes near Denver. Whether you are just beginning to explore the Front Range, or are a seasoned hiker looking to expand your route repertoire, this book is a ticket to adventure.
You may think, “Denver, hmm. I think I’ll ski in winter and hike in summer.” Perish the thought! Abundant hiking beckons all year round. It’s true that it takes until June for high peaks and emerald meadows to start losing their snowpack. But you can clamber on foothills amidst startling rock formations in January, tromp butterscotch-scented ponderosa forests in March, and revel in fiery aspen colors in the first week of October. Regardless of time of year, the views are incredible and sunny skies are the norm.
Anyone who can walk can enjoy these trails. No training or experience is necessary, but plenty is gained through hiking. Safety is not a worry as long as you are mindful of the few items discussed below. You also don’t need any fancy gear; all you really need are two legs and some decent shoes. And curiosity, because every hike is different, and every hike has stories of history, geology, etymology, or wildlife to tell. It is in the spirit of storytelling that this book was created. Within minutes you can read about some great hikes, choose one, and then go out and write your own story by walking the trail.
Exploring the Front Range on foot is a low-cost and addictive habit, and has the side effect of being incredibly good for you. A few gallons of gas is usually the only cost for the priceless experience of spending time with Mother Nature. The more you go, the more you want to go, and the more your body loves it. Visitors to Denver will do well to pack their hiking boots, and if you live here, you might as well keep them in the car.
Enjoy your time outdoors!
Welcome to the Wall
Colorado’s Front Range of the Rocky Mountains is about 150 miles long by about 50 miles wide, stretching south from the Wyoming border through north and central Colorado. The Continental Divide is its backbone, and cities from Fort Collins to Pueblo line the plains along its eastern base. Denver sits in the center of this base, and from downtown you can travel just 40 miles west and gain over 8,000 feet.
This magnificent wall is the product of an uplift that began about 60 million years ago, when continental plates collided thousands of miles west. Things finally calmed down about a million years ago, and erosion continued to sculpt the land. Ice ages came and went, assisting with the carving. By the time the most recent frozen period waned, about 11,000 years ago, human beings had taken up residence. Much later, some European humans visited, and in 1859 they found gold, which changed everything. Thousands of folks moved here and settled, and by 1876 Colorado had been admitted to the United States.
The eastern plains are an expansive zone of shortgrass prairie, treeless except for giant cottonwoods and other species that grow near creeks. As the land slopes upward, ponderosas, pinyons, and junipers join the plant mix along with cacti, yuccas, and various shrubs. Between about 6,000 and 8,000 feet there’s a transition zone of taller ponderosas and Douglas firs, followed