We had been trying to get up to Nederland and this trail all summer. Something always got in our way, timing, mosquitos, etc…
We finally had a fully free day, it was cooler, and sunday it was going to snow!
The drive was meandering when we chose to skip the toll road. But it was nice out, and the views were great and the time together was wonderful!
It was chilly and we got there early enough to get within 20 cars of the trail head. Everything was still frozen and snowey, so off we went. We missed the official trail head, but the river made it pretty obvious we needed a new plan!
The hike was pleasant, a good amount of uphill, and at the lake – ooofa – so windy!
Verdict:
- Closer to 5, 5 and 1/2 miles in length
- About 1000 foot elevation gain, not terrible
- A nice adventure off season