Is hard to chose where to hike in Colorado, the amount of options is overwhelming. However, as parents of a 19 month old, and not expert hikers, we try to keep our treks within 5 miles distance.
Base on these reasons, we selected 2 trails for the weekend: The Second Creek Trail and The Monarch Lake Loop Trail.
The Second Greek Trail
This journey is all about stunning views, colorful wildflowers, and a lovely creek.
It is a 3 mile trail rated moderate with a Min/Max elevation of : 10,551 to 11,388 ft. Since I moved to Colorado this has been the highest altitude in which I have hiked; thus, I had to stop more than a couple of times to catch my breath while ascending.
My tip: At the summit you can find a hut with toilets, but there is no water so bring plenty.
Also, if hiking in this season, keep walking a little further pass the hut, there is a very beautiful creek mainly originated by melting snow, which composes mind-blowing landscaping.
The Monarch Lake Loop Trail
If you, like me, are a fan of the combination of water and mountain panoramas, this is the place to go.
It has a total of 4.1 miles, and although in many sites is rated moderate; as a beginner hiker, I would consider it easy. It has a elevation gain of just 544 ft, and there were many families and kids hiking it.
The place offers so many activities to choose from; and I never got bored, because there is always something beautiful that catches your attention.
This is one trail I would definitely be looking forward to do again.
Tip: We found sings (yes, poop) of so many wildlife but couldn't see any. Base on the trail's reviews, it can be stated, that there is more chance to see wild life such as deer or moose at early hours.
It took about 2 hours to complete the loop, but next time I will bring more snacks to be able to stop oftener in order to appreciate better some of this trail stunning spots.
Thanks for reading!. Have a great weekend.
Please take a look at my related posts below.
https://steemit.com/parenting/@linzy13/easy-hike-with-a-toddler-near-denver-colorado
https://steemit.com/colorchallenge/@linzy13/color-challenge-thursday-the-green-i-love
https://steemit.com/introduceyourself/@linzy13/from-south-to-north-from-east-to-west