Rattlesnakes also want to avoid you, but they need time to move away. They are uncommon up high but are at home in the foothills below 7,000 feet or so. Your chances of meeting one increase if you leave the trail in a lower-elevation, rocky area. The rattle is a warning to stay away, not a signal of attack. You aren’t in danger unless you are in striking range, and they strike only in self-defense. Don’t throw anything and back away slowly. If bitten, stay calm and walk at a modest pace to the car. Bites are rarely fatal to healthy adults, but small children have a higher risk, as do dogs.
Hiking with Kids
I am a hiker today because my parents took me hiking when I was little. I hope I’ve done the same favor for my own children. The hikes in this book are for everyone, including small members of the family. Remember, you don’t have to do the whole hike. Rewards often come in the first mile. Do as little or as much as you want, and you may find yourself going hiking more often, and going farther.
I’ve seen nine-year-olds having a blast five steep miles away from the car. Toddlers can often handle one to four miles round-trip. Older kids sometimes like to run ahead, and it is important to establish rules about not going too far, staying on the trail, and waiting at all junctions.
Things can deteriorate fast for kids when they get tired or uncomfortable. Bring extra clothes, yummy food, and a good sense of humor and adventure. Gently push for forward progress, but be ready to accommodate different agendas, which may not be all about “getting there” but rather about stopping to check things out. Try to keep it moving and keep it fun.
Other Trail Users
I think it is important to greet others on the trail with at least a smile. However, I don’t get offended if people who are grunting their way uphill ignore me, and I make sure to yield them the right-of-way. If someone asks for help, I help; I’ve probably overdone it on occasion with my unsolicited advice. The fewer people I see, and the farther into the backcountry I go, the weirder it feels to not at least say, “Hi.”
Hiking with dogs is popular in Colorado, and many of the trails in this book allow them. On trails where dogs are allowed, they almost always must be on a leash. The exceptions are in some National Forest lands outside of established recreation areas, where off-leash hiking is sometimes allowed. A few localities such as the City of Boulder have a verified voice-control licensing option.
As of this writing, violations of leash rules are rampant. Conditions are ripe for a backlash, and dogs could become banned in more places if owners keep breaking the rules. Currently, dogs are not allowed on the trails in Rocky Mountain National Park and in a number of state parks and municipal open spaces. If you want to continue to hike with your dog, please abide by the rules.
When on the trail with your dog, be conscious of how invasive she can be of other people’s space, and of people’s right to hike without being contacted or intimidated by her. Remember, not everyone loves dogs, and some people are afraid of them. Also remember that even if your dog is friendly, she can suddenly behave differently around strangers and unfamiliar dogs on a narrow trail.
Some trails are very popular with mountain bikers, especially in the foothills. Most bikers are considerate and yield to hikers, as they are required to. My experience is that shared use of the trail is generally harmonious, but do watch out for the occasional scary biker.
Hikers must yield to horses, which are less common than bikes although most trails are open to them (it’s a Colorado thing). Horse owners tend to be warm and friendly people, fun to talk to, and will often move out of your way if they can. But horses can be skittish, so it’s always a good idea to give them a wide berth, speak calmly, and avoid making sudden movements.
Leave a Trace—On Yourself
Public land is not owned by the government. We own it. It’s up to us to be its stewards.
Don’t build fires. Leave no marks except footprints. Don’t cut switchbacks. Pack it out. Leave everything where you found it. Step off the trail to pee, and bury human waste at least 200 feet from trails and water, at least six inches deep. Be considerate of others, keep your distance from and respect wildlife, and control your pets. Travel on durable surfaces, save vegetation from damage, and walk through mud if that’s where the trail is. Limit your group size; this has as much to do with being considerate of others as minimizing your impact. And remember, sounds carry.
Sometimes the best part of a hike is getting back to the car, exhausted and exhilarated, and prying those boots off your tired feet. Heaven! Then you get to carry the impact and experience of the delightful day with you back to civilization.
The Denver area is a wonderful place to come back to: a full-service metropolitan area replete with restaurants, breweries, coffeehouses, theaters, museums, an aquarium, a zoo, nightlife, and many trail-loving people to share wilderness stories with. You can soak up the city, enjoy great food and drink, socialize a bit, get some rest—and get ready to hike again.
Enjoy yourself, and enjoy your time outside!
—Pete KJ
Fort Collins
Land of prairies, the Poudre, and snowy peaks
Beautiful and diverse hiking experiences abound in the region near Fort Collins, a lively city just an hour north of Denver. If you’re unsure where to go, just start driving up the Cache la Poudre River on CO 14. This gorgeous valley is a conduit to adventure in all seasons. Near its entrance, the slate-colored mound of Greyrock Mountain asks to be climbed even in midwinter. Late spring is a good time to head farther in for a deep-woods walk on Big South, alongside Colorado’s designated Wild and Scenic River.
In summer the higher hikes in Poudre Valley can’t be beat, from Blue Lake and Twin Crater Lakes in the graceful north-stretching Medicine Bow Range, to Emmaline Lake tucked beneath Comanche Peak on the valley’s south side, to the Never Summer Mountains on the northern edge of Rocky Mountain National Park. Contrary to the name, summer does indeed arrive here—and spectacularly. The American Lakes, tucked beneath the incredible Nokhu Crags, might qualify as one of the Earth’s most beautiful places. You can view Nokhu from the Diamond Peaks hike or from Iron Mountain (above Trap Park), or take the iconic walk to the lakes themselves. Go in July, and you’ll be engulfed in wildflowers.
Outside the Poudre Valley, you can find year-round tromping in the foothills close to town in places like Horsetooth Mountain, where you can climb a famous rock alongside CSU students, and other adventures farther afield at Mount Margaret, Red Feather Lakes, and Soapstone Prairie, near the Wyoming border. For something completely different, drive east into the plains for an otherworldly experience at Pawnee Buttes, in the hike that kicks off this book.
1 Pawnee Buttes
This easy hike to two buttes in the eastern prairie gives you spring flowers, birdsong, windblown solitude, and views stretching off to infinity. It’s a journey through time and a blast for everyone, kids included.
At a Glance
| Difficulty | Distance/Time | 4.5 miles/2 hours | |
| Trail Conditions | Trailhead ElevationTotal Hiking Gain | 5,200 feet200 feet | |
| Children | Features | Eroded landforms, prairie, birds, spring wildflowers | |
| Scenery | Best Season | All year | |
| Photo |