Adopt a Trail
Plant Lists & Keys
Field Trips
Workshops

Volunteer Opportunities
Awards
Board Meetings & Meeting Minutes
Solution Graphics






WWW
www.conps.org

Trails Listed by Names


Aiken Canyon Preserve
The nature preserve is home to a rich diversity of life and a wildlife corridor where the plains and foothills meet, encompassing two globally rare plant communities: Pinyon Pine/one-seeded Juniper/Scribner/needlegrass woodland, and the gambel oak/mountain mahogany shrubland. The preserve is one of the highest quality ecosystems along the Colorado Front Range, and is open Saturday, Sunday and Monday from dawn to dusk. No camping, dogs, horses or bikes allowed.
Address:
Turkey Canyon Ranch Road, Colorado Springs, Colorado
 


Cap Rock Preserve
A CONPS field trip to this location was lead by Terri Schultz on May 21, 1994. From Google Earth it does not look like there is a trail here, but the road in dead-ends in view of the rock. Cap Rock is a 7.966 foot high rock pillar just north of Fort Collins. Terri described the field trip as a, "Short but strenuous hike to see high quality shrubland & grassland communities presettlement foothillls vegetation, including rare plant, Aletes humilis."
Address:
Near Virginia Dale, Larimer, CO
 


Colorado Trail: Top of the World Campground
On May 18, 1996 the Buffalo Creek Fire burned nearly 12,000 acres in the Pike National Forest and in some private lands around Buffalo Creek. Two years later, on May 30 1998, Rick Brune and Steve Vest (with Jerry Duncan as recorder) lead a CONPS field trip to Top-of-the-World Campground on the Colorado Trail (FR 538) to view the effects and the recovery effort of that fire. The campground (at 7,700 feet altitude) has since been permanently closed by the Forest Service, but the spectacular flora listed in the inventory should still be there as well as views to the east at some wonderful rock towers and the eastern plains, and south to Pikes Peak. The plant inventory lists plants found in the campground and another undefined location called the “Heli Spot area”.
Address:
Pike National Forest
 


Devil's Backbone Open Space
A nice family hike along the base of the Devil’s Backbone just west of Loveland. On this trail you will see red-tailed hawks, grasslands carpeted with wildflowers, towering rock formations - these are just some of the natural features that can be enjoyed at the Devil's Backbone Open Space. The 2198-acre Devil's Backbone Open Space provides abundant opportunities on a seven-mile trail for outdoor recreation including hiking, running, horseback riding, mountain biking, wildlife viewing, observing nature, as well as enjoying close-up inspection of the rock outcrop and long vistas of the area, while on the trail. The Devil's Backbone is one of the most impressive and visible geologic landmarks in Larimer County, as well as an important cultural feature with a rich and colorful history.
Address:
Hidden Drive, Loveland, CO
 


Harpers Corner Road
Situated within Dinosaur National Monument, in the NW corner of Colorado, the road heading north from the Canyon Visitor Center Area in Colorado provides many opportunities for wildflower viewing, with many overlooks into the Uintah Basin and the canyons of the Green and Yampa Rivers. There are several trailheads off this road, leading through desert shrub communities.
Address:
Dinosaur National Monument 4545 E. Highway 40 Dinosaur, CO 81610-9724
 


Herman Gulch Trail
Herman Gulch is one of the premier wildflower walks in Colorado. The trailhead lies about a mile east of Eisenhower Tunnel and climbs up a south-facing gulch to Herman Lake. The trail climbs through a lodgepole pine/aspen forest to a spruce/fir forest and then to gorgeous alpine meadows filled with flowers. The trail ends at the lake although one can continue up to the continental divide.
Address:
 


Meadow Creek Trail
You have a choice of two hikes at this trailhead: a short, pleasant hike to Lily Pad Lakes or an all-day, strenuous hike into the Eagles Nest Wilderness to Eccles Pass. Both hikes are particularly enjoyable in September when aspen are turning to their spectacular gold color. The Eccles Pass destination is in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, so your dog must be on leash. This also means that bicyclists are not permitted on the trail, since wilderness trails are restricted to hikers and equestrians. Available for hiking, and mountain biking (up to the Wilderness boundary) the 4.66 mile Meadow Creek Trail intersects with Lily Pad Trail at 0.62 miles. Views of Dillon Reservoir and Upper Blue Valley are occasionally available through clearings along the trail.
Address:
 


Mesa Verde National Park: Prater Ridge Trail
This trail begins on the west end of Morefield Campground and climbs a large switchback up to the top of the ridge. Once on the top you hike along the edge of the ridge around a loop and return down the switchback. There are excellent views of the Montezuma Valley, Prater Canyon and Morefield Canyon. This trail goes through pinyon-juniper forest and does not attract summer crowds. There is a cutoff that shortens the trail to 5 miles round-trip.
Address:
Mesa Verde National Park P.O. Box 8 Mesa Verde, Colorado 81330
 


Mount Lady Washington by the East Longs Peak Trail
This trail starts at East Longs Peak trail head. You will find stunning alpine flowers and many wildlife.
Address:
 


Mt. Elbert
Mount Elbert is the highest peak in the Rocky Mountains of North America, at 14,440 feet (4,401 m), the highest of the fourteeners in Colorado, and the high point of the Sawatch Range. It is located in Lake County, approximately 10 miles (16 km) southwest of Leadville. It lies within the San Isabel National Forest. You will have plenty of opportunities to view wildflowers and wild animals.
Address:
Southwest of Leadville in the San Isabel National Forest of the Sawatch Range. Mt. Massive (14,421') is directly north of Elbert.
 


Mt. Evans - Northeast Face from Summit Lake
Mount Evans is the road into the sky. Drive from 8,700 feet at Idaho Spring where you turn off Interstate 70 to 14,240 feet to the summit, and you will pass through 3 life zones, passing ancient trees, lakes and forest to the land above timberline. It can be 90 degrees in Denver and 40 degrees at the top of Mount Evans. Mountain Goats and Bighorn Sheep will greet you as you climb to the top of the world.
Address:
 


Roan Plateau: Golden Castle Gulch
This trail starts on the top of the plateau, passes down through some open meadows, and drops down into a steep-sided gulch. In several places in the gulch water trickles in from small springs and creeks creating perfect habitats for water-loving plants like monkeyflowers and chiming bells. Otherwise the gulch is filled with a rich aspen forest with a diverse layer of shrubs (snowberries, elderberries, currants and raspberries), and an equally rich layer of herbs like columbines, and penstemons in the cool forest.
Address:
Rifle, Garfield County.
 


Roan Plateau: Top of Plateau
This description covers the rolling topography on the top of the plateau including the shale barrens on the plateau edge above the cliffs, mostly sagebrush shrublands and aspen forests. There are trails that mostly cut down into the gulches formed by creeks, but these will be listed separately.
Address:
Rifle, Garfild County, Colorado
 


Roxborough State Park: Carpenter Peak Trail
The Carpenter Peak Trail starts in the valley bottom at the intersection with the Willow Creek Trail south of the visitor’s center. In the valley bottom it passes through foothill grasslands, until it begins to climb up into the foothills. At this point it climbs through a series of switchbacks up through Mountain Mahogany and Gambel Oak shrub communities and wonderful views of the red-rocks in the park. It passes through some Ponderosa Pines stands, and on the north-facing slopes through Douglas Fir woodlands until it gets to the top of Carpenter Peak. At this point, the trail continues down the west side of the peak through the same communities and eventually connects up with the Colorado Trail in Waterton Canyon.
Address:
4751 N. Roxborough Dr., Littleton, CO 80125
 


Roxborough State Park: Fountain Valley Trail
The Fountain Valley Trail is an easy walk of about 2.2 miles which makes a loop north of the visitor’s center. It passes through mostly foothill grasslands with a large number of grass species. Many of the grasses are tall- and mid-grass native species, but there are also non-native forage grass species which were planted years ago to enhance grazing. 54 species of grasses have been documented in the park and many of them are here. As one walks around this loop there are spectacular views of red-rocks formations, enormous ridges and slanted hogbacks that date back five hundred million years. This is the best trail to view these ancient rocks. On the northeast side of the loop is a wet meadow with narrow-leaf cottonwoods and other wetland species.
Address:
4751 North Roxborough Drive Littleton, CO 80125
 


Roxborough State Park: Lyons Overlook Trail
The Lyons Overlook trail is a short trail that branches off the east side of the Fountain Valley Trail and climbs to the top of the Fountain rock formation. It is 1.3 miles, round-trip from the visitor’s center, but perhaps ½ mile round trip from the intersection with the Fountain Valley Trail. The Lyons trail cuts up through dense thickets of gambel oak, and in the early spring one can see spring ephemeral flowers (flowers that bloom before the oak leaves emerge) like Spring Beauty. The trail ends at the top of the formation, the trail ends in a stand of ponderosa pines.
Address:
4751 N. Roxborough Dr., Littleton, CO 80125
 


Roxborough State Park: South Rim Trail
The South Rim Trail is a loop that extends (3 miles round-trip) to the far southern end of the park. To get there, one takes the Willow Creek Trail south to the intersection with the South Loop Trail. This loop takes you through thick stands of Gambel Oak shrublands that intermix with foothill grasslands. While it stays on the valley floor it passes through some wonderful riparian areas, and then at the south end ascends to the top of a ridge. The change in habitat from the bottom to the top of the ridge is striking as the top of the ridge is a much drier habitat with more wind and sun exposure. The view up the valley into the park, and views east out on the plains are exceptional.
Address:
4751 N. Roxborough Dr., Littleton, CO 80125
 


Roxborough State Park: Willow Creek Trail
The Willow Creek Trail is another 1.3 mile loop which swings south from the visitor’s center. It stays on the valley floor and goes through Gambel Oak shrublands, mountain front grasslands and riparian areas along the creek. The shrublands are dominated by Gambel Oak, but also have Rocky Mountain Maples, cedars and cherries, the grasslands are filled with wildflowers, and the riparian areas have their own set of wetland species, willows and dogwoods.
Address:
4751 N. Roxborough Dr, Littleton, CO 80125
 


Twin Crater Lakes - Trail 962
The trailhead starts at the confluence of the Laramie River and the West Branch of the Laramie River. The hike begins with a gradual ascent through aspen groves. Aspens give way to pine after a mile or so. The trail climbs steadily paralleling the West Branch of the Laramie River. You can hear the river from the trail but you can't see it. The trail levels out for a while as it leaves the West Branch of the Laramie River and follows the North Fork. The forest becomes wet and lush as the trail follows the North Fork. There are a couple of small stream crossings and then the trail begins to climb steeply for what seems like a mile (but is probably less).
Address:
Unknown
 


Ute Canyon
Unmaintained primitive trail has a steep descent into a narrow canyon that follows a streambed with sporadic willows and cottonwoods and seasonal pools and stream.
Address:
Colorado National Monument Fruita, CO 81521-0001
 

Back to the top