Square Top Lakes Trail

Square Top Lakes Trail, Guanella Pass, Clear Creek County
Parking: Main parking at Guanella Pass Summit Area.  Park in the upper lot for access to this trail.  (Nasty bathrooms available.)
Distance: 3 miles?  4 miles?  4.2 miles?  You decide.  The elevation gain is up for grabs too.  I read everything from 200 ft (HA!) to 1000 ft. gains.
Difficulty: This was moderate for us adults, but difficult for the kids, especially since it was their first high-altitude hike.
Wildlife: wildflowers are growing like crazy up here, but the only wild animal we saw was a lone pika.
Day hiked: June 26, 2012

We were camping at Guanella Pass, so I picked this hike since it was nearby, and ended at two lakes, which I knew would interest the boys.  With a starting elevation of 11,669 feet, I knew it would be challenging, but figured we were up for it.  WRONG!  The boys had incredibly bad attitudes and were fighting about everything before we even got out of the car.  Once we were on the trail, they fought over who would be leader and then one would scream if, GOD FORBID, the other brother stepped a foot in front of him.  We were not off to a good start.

At this elevation, the trail is entirely above tree-line.  The trail had beautiful views (the 14,000 foot Mount Bierstadt was looming over us the entire hike) and thousands of wildflowers.  But the first part of this trail was almost entirely uphill.  At this altitude, that was really tough on the kids.  Chris and I could have done this without a problem, but we could see the boys were getting worn out and struggling to continue.

Chris had been mapping our hike on his iPhone and we decided to stop for lunch at around 1.7 miles.  We figured we had to be close.  We had just finished a particularly tough uphill climb, and other than a short ridge above us, it didn’t seem like there was much more uphill climbing.

WRONG AGAIN!  Some hikers on their way down stopped to talk to us and let us know that they had decided not to push through to the lake because just over the ridge you dipped low into a valley and would have to continue back up that valley and then do it again in another valley. While the boys finished their lunch, I climbed up to the ridge to take a look myself. Sure enough, the trail dropped down into a valley and then rounded back up on the other side. No sign of the lakes at all and we knew the boys didn’t have two more uphill climbs in them.

Chris and I made the parental decision that it was time to turn around. The return trek to the parking lot was quick and easy.  The boys were in better spirits on the way down, so at least the mood was lighter!  It was also a good thing we left when we did, because as soon as we got to the trailhead, thunder boomed and it began raining on us.

So, even though we didn’t make it to the Square Top Lakes, the boys did manage to hike at 3.4 miles at high altitude, and half of that was at a steady incline!  Not too bad for 7 and 5-year olds!  We are certainly proud of them!  And while I was a little disappointed with their attitudes (ahem…I’m talking to you in particular, Henry!), when we asked them what their favorite parts of our camping trip were, they both said hiking, so that’s something.  (Hiking did not come in first place.  “Marshmallows!” were the enthusiastic first choice of both boys.)

 

Castle, Meadow & Walker’s Dream Trails

Castle, Meadow and Walker’s Dream Trails at Mount Falcon Park, Indian Hills, Colorado
Parking: West Trailhead parking lot at 21004 Mount Falcon Road, Indian Hills, CO (bathrooms at trailhead)
Distance: 3.6 miles
Difficulty: easy to difficult for my kids (if it hadn’t been so hot, this would have been much easier)
Wildlife: A park ranger let us know he had just spotted some deer, but we didn’t see any.  We did spot lots of birds, about a billion butterflies (we even had a chance to check out some caterpillar cocoons that we found) and we saw a lone lizard on our way back down.
Day hiked: June 21, 2012

I woke up Thursday morning looking for an excuse to get out of my 9:30 a.m. Spin class. Since the weather forecast was a “cool” 85 degrees (compared to the 100 degree day we had the other day, this was a welcome cool front), I suggested a hiking trip to the boys. They happily agreed. And by happily, I mean that I had to bribe them by offering to help clean the loft if they went hiking with me.  Since this was a last minute trip, I didn’t have a lot of time to research where we would go.  I picked Mount Falcon, since I had been there before and remembered it being a pretty easy hike.  As an added bonus, there are castle ruins on the trail that I knew the boys would like to explore.

We started out on the Castle Trail, and turned off on the Meadow Trail to make this a longer hike.  There were great views of the beautiful meadow and forest and the boys really liked this part of the trail.  It was also pretty shady in spots, which was an added bonus.  This trail gave me lots of opportunities to teach the boys how to stay on trail, since several other trails joined up with the Meadow Trail at different points.  The Meadow Trail loop rejoins the Castle Trail right at the Walker Home Ruins, which was a convenient place to stop for a snack and let the boys explore.

If you want to read more about why there is a castle on top of a mountain, you can do that by clicking HERE.  Let’s just say John Brisbane Walker seems pretty bat-shit crazy to me.  By the end of the trail, where Walker planned to build a summer home for the U.S. presidents, Steven was referring to him as “That crazy Walker guy.”  But he did give us Red Rocks amphitheater…so there’s that.

The ruins are pretty cool to explore and there were lots of boulders surrounding them to give the boys some fun, and me some small heart attacks.  After a long break, we continued on the Castle Trail until it met up with Walker’s Dream Trail.  There is a covered (SHADED!) picnic table here with a great view overlooking Denver.  At this point, Cosmo was exhausted and I considered turning around.  But the Summer White House site was only 0.3 miles above us and a fellow hiker convinced us we should check it out.  We took a vote and decided to push through to the end.  Cosmo was not pleased.

That last 0.3 miles was probably the hardest of the hike.  It was all uphill over loose rock and every switchback gave you a false sense that you had finally reached the top.  I mean, how long can 0.3 miles really be???  I will say that this was the prettiest part of the hike, but I was having a hard time picturing any president in the early 1900s making this hike just to get to bed at night!  The boys were beat at this point, and Cosmo was looking for any passing hikers who might want to become her new owners.  She came pretty close to making out with a mountain biker who was taking a rest, and I’m pretty sure she was whispering sweet nothings into his ear in an attempt to go home with him, just to end this damn hike.

But finally, FINALLY, we reached the top where there is the cornerstone of the house that was never built, and a marble plaque marking the location.  I have to say that the boys were more impressed with this than I was, because I kept imagining how crazy this Walker guy was.  I will say that the views were spectacular.

But now we have to head back down, in the hot sun and pretty exposed trail.  We were all hot and Henry in particular was miserable.  He took a lot of convincing to keep moving, and we invented another video game where rocks zapped our health, but if we passed a wildflower it was restored.  And butterflies who fluttered in front of us shot darts at us and pine cones were bombs waiting to go off.  If you found a piece of tree bark on the ground, that gave you the ability to fly over obstacles for 10 seconds.  Whatever works.  Steven had no problems with this hike, and was still climbing boulders on the way down.  We finally made it back to the car having finished ALL of our water (100 oz for me & Cosmo, 50 oz each for the boys!)

Had it not been so hot, this would have been a much easier hike.  Had I taken a cue from my dog, we probably should have turned around at the castle ruins.  Overall, it was a great and beautiful hike.  I’ve done it by myself and thought it was pretty easy, but it was a little tough on my five-year-old.  I might be willing to try this again in the Fall.

At the start of the hike. Everyone is comfortable and happy!

Using the binoculars and compass

Rock climbing!

Made it to the top!

A tricky climb down.

A 1989 wildfire destroyed these trees.

They look like hobbits in this picture. Where’s the ring, Master Frodo?

Steven was convinced he’d found the perfect walking stick

Two bros…still happy and not sweating

Steven

The Walker Home Ruins

Henry

Snack Time. This is our “picky eaters trail mix #1” as the boys call it.

View of Red Rocks Ampitheater

And these are two boys who DON’T want us to sign them up for rock climbing classes.

Not a bad spot for a picnic!

Me

Hard to picture any president making this hike

The Summer White House site. Ohhhh. Ahhhh.

Made it to the top! Proud of you, boys!

Cosmo was not happy that her boys were down here without supervision. See that look of scorn she’s giving me?

Cosmo spotted this guy on the way down. We’ll have to figure out what he is.

More information here.
Mount Falcon Park

 

Plymouth Creek to Meadowlark Trail

Plymouth Creek to Meadowlark Trail, Deer Creek Canyon Park, Littleton, CO

Parking: 13896 Grizzly Drive, Littleton  (the parking lot is huge and there are restrooms at the trailhead)
Distance: 2.7 miles (Loop by joining the two trails)
Difficulty: easy to moderate
Wildlife: none this day, except for a fuzzy caterpillar (though the Plymouth Mountain trail was closed this day because of a mountain lion spotting!)
Day hiked: May 28, 2012

This trail wasn’t our first choice, but the trail we had originally picked out had a very full parking lot.  Since I had  done this trail before, and it was close by, we decided to give it a try.  It was a little longer (and a little more uphill) than I had intended, but it turned out fine.  We did this hike on Memorial Day and it was packed!  The parking lot was almost full and the trails were crowded.

Start at the main trailhead and follow the signs for the Plymouth Creek Trail. The first part of this trail is all uphill.  It isn’t a very steep climb, but it’s pretty steady.  I started to stress that the boys weren’t going to be able to make it, but knowing my boys speak “video game” I suggested they turn it into one!  “If you can make it to that tall tree, you level up!”,  “Watch out for tree stumps, they take away your health!”  Unbelievably, this worked, and the boys found the energy to make it to the top!

This is a really beautiful hike, with lots of wildflowers and wonderful views of the red rocks of Colorado.  I’ve been on this hike before where the creek was running so there were lots of little (I said little!) waterfalls.  Unfortunately, Colorado has been very dry, so the creek was nothing but a trickle.

The area where Plymouth Creek Trail meets up with the Meadowlark Trail (at 1.1 miles) is particularly beautiful and shaded.  Cross the bridge to join the HIKER ONLY Meadowlark Trail.  This part of the trail really rejuvenated the boys!  I think they enjoyed looking down on the hikers below us and seeing how far they had come, and running ahead on the trail to see what was around the next bend.  (Or maybe they were still playing video games in their mind!)  Once you are on Meadowlark, there is a little bit of a climb, but then it levels out and begins to descend back down to the parking lot.  You’ll great some great views of downtown Denver from this part of the trail.

Finding a shady spot to eat lunch was pretty difficult, but no one (except the dog!) seemed to mind.  The boys enjoyed this hike so much, that we weren’t even in our car before they were asking where the next hike was going to be!  Success!

Views from Plymouth Creek Trail

Letting the boys bring their own camera was a good idea!

Native Yucca

The uphill climb was toughest on Cosmo

Views of the red rock formations

The boys found a caterpillar

Rocks to climb!

There were lots of wildflowers on the trail

On the Meadowlark Trail

The boys were very impressed to see how far they had come!

Cosmo needed a break

Me and the boys overlooking downtown Denver

Looking down at the parking lot

Whew! Worn out!

Mission accomplished!

For more information:
Deer Creek Canyon Park 

 

Mesa Rim Loop at Hidden Mesa Open Space

Mesa Rim Loop at Hidden Mesa Open Space, Castle Rock

This was the first hiking trip we took the boys on.  It’s close to where we live and relatively flat, so we figured it would be a good one for a first experience.  Hidden Mesa is part of the Douglas County Open Space program.

Parking: Park at the Pleasant View Parking for easy access to this trail.  This parking lot is not marked, but it is directly across from 3600 S. Pleasant View Drive, Castle Rock.
Distance: 2.2 miles (Loop)
Difficulty: Easy
Wildlife: We spotted a gecko.  Other than birds, that was about it.
Date hiked: May 20, 2012

The first half of this hike was awesome.  There were lots of boulders for the boys to scramble on and great views from the Mesa Rim.  The boys had a great time climbing and pretending to be explorers.  There were plenty of trees that gave us lots of options to find a shady spot for taking a break to have a snack.  Once you start making the loop back, there wasn’t a lot to keep the boys entertained (since they apparently don’t enjoy beautiful views as much as adults do), so the whining commenced.  In reality, they were just wishing for more rocks to climb on.  The trail was flat and well maintained.  For a first hiking attempt, this wasn’t too bad.

For more information:
Hidden Mesa Open Space

 

Kids Hike Colorado

The boys have recently discovered that they love hiking.  Taking any advantage of something active that will drag the boys away from the computer, iPhones, iPad or Wii, Chris and I pounced on this interest!  We’ve been researching kid-friendly hikes in Colorado and exploring our beautiful state.