Skiing and snowboarding are—in my opinion—the two greatest sports in the world. But with all of this beautiful weather we’ve had lately—excluding the massive snowstorm that just swept through Colorado—keep in mind that it’s possible explore other activities as well. Just because it’s winter doesn’t mean we can’t get out for a walk, bike ride, run or hike.
Upon realizing these wintery possibilities, I decided to go to Elk Meadow Park to do just that. Well, I didn’t go walking, biking or running, but I did go hiking. And I had a total blast spending some time away from the traffic and lift lines we put up with at ski resorts every weekend.
The park—situated just 40 minutes from campus in Evergreen—is one of my favorites in the greater Denver area because it has a diverse landscape that keep the experience exciting. The lower area by Evergreen Parkway is a wide open field representative of Colorado’s ranch culture, but the upper area—deeper into the park—is full of the lush wilderness that’s more characteristic of the mountains.
There are 1,647 acres of land in the park—all of which are beautiful—but I’d like to talk about one hike in particular that really gives you a taste of area. It’s a 5-mile loop that involves small segments of several different trails, most of which are on quite moderate terrain. Here’s how to make it happen:
Park in the upper lot, which is off Stagecoach Blvd. Grab a map from the main trailhead, and start hiking.
After 0.3 miles, you’ll arrive at a split. Go left on Meadow View Trail and follow it for 0.9 miles, which will take you up some switchbacks. Don’t worry though, I’ve seen young kids conquer them, and you can, too.
You’ll then come upon another split. Take another left, which keeps you on Meadow View Trail. Keep going for 1.4 miles, and enjoy transitioning from the upper section’s thick trees to the lower section’s open fields. You’ll pass a trail on your left called Too Long Trail, but as you can guess, it’s a little too long for a mellow day hike.
Once you arrive at the split of Meadow View Trail and Founder’s Trail, stay right on Founder’s. This will take you across some fields and back in the general direction of where you parked.
0.6 miles later, Founder’s Trail will merge with Painter’s Pause, on which you’ll hike for 0.4 miles. Then, it’s time to climb back up into the woods and closer to the finish line.
Stay left at the next split and take Sleepy “S” Trail for 1.1 miles. Then, connect back with the Meadow View Trail, and take that for just 0.3 miles back to the car.
This may seem a bit overwhelming, but it’s a really feasible hike, even if you’re not in great shape. And the great thing about this hike—and hiking in general—is that it’s not a race. You can take as much time as you want, and there are even benches scattered throughout the park to take breaks on.
Who cares if it takes you all day to get it done? That’s even better in many ways because you get to spend that much more time in the outdoors.
So, next time you’re bored on another sunny day at DU this quarter, or any other quarter, head up to Elk Meadow Park and give this loop a go.
