Blue Ridge Parkway: Fryingpan Mountain Lookout Tower

When my parents and I first came here last December, we thought we were breaking the law- the gravel road that leads to the tower is marred with "No Trespassing" signs on either side. But after doing some research, I discovered that the lookout tower that sits atop Fryingpan Mountain (elevation 5,340) on the Blue Ridge Parkway is in fact open to the public, and hikers are encouraged to use it.

The tower... of doom!!!

Fun fact: The tower was originally built by the US Forest Service in 1941, and is the tallest lookout tower in Western NC. Although the top platform is locked and not open to the public (I wonder why?), you can still climb five flights of stairs to catch some amazing views.

View from the top of the lookout tower

We stumbled upon this tower on a winter day when the parkway was closed. After parking at the lot beside the parkway's intersection with Hwy 276, we walked about 3 miles east and saw the gravel road to the lookout tower on the left. From the parkway, it's about 3/4 of a mile hike up to the tower. There are some camping spots near the entrance to the trail that might be worth checking out. This is near mile marker 409, and I'm sure you could park somewhere closer than we did (when the parkway is open, that is). I would highly recommend checking this spot out- the 360 degree panoramic views are incredible. 

Boulder: Saddle Rock Trail

So, we actually didn't reach Saddle Rock because one of our hikers was having back pain, but I want to do it next summer! We parked at the Crown Rock Area, which is right off Flagstaff Road. We hiked down into Gregory Canyon, which is a very steep and pretty treacherous trail due to loose gravel. There are lots of college kids bouldering in this area- it's a nice place to come and rock hop if you don't want to hike. There is also the "bonsai tree" that is growing out of a rock- very cool, and a nice place to chill out and take pictures.

We took the trail all the way down into Gregory Canyon, which as already noted is a very steep and rocky descent. The canyon has a stream running through it, and as I just discovered, has its own trailhead nearby. We began the ascent to Saddle Rock but turned around about 15 minutes later. The climb back to the car was pretty sketchy in places, and there are a couple places where the trail forks off with no signage. I wouldn't recommend taking this trail if you don't know the area well. The hike from the Crown Rock parking area down into Gregory Canyon and back up takes about an hour round trip.

After studying the above map, I think that next time I'll park at the Gregory Canyon trailhead and do the Saddle Mountain loop. Just a warning that all of the areas in the Flagstaff area charge $5 per car for parking.

Directions from Boulder: take Baseline Road, pass Chautauqua Park on the right and turn left into the Gregory Canyon parking area a few minutes down the road. The area is well marked and visible from the road.

New Trail Ideas for 2012

HAPPY TRAILS THE PUNCH BOWLS

by DAVE PHILIPPS, THE GAZETTE

WHERE: A series of pools hidden in Queens Canyon above Glen Eyrie.

TO GET THERE: From Interstate 25 take the Garden of the Gods exit and head west for two miles to 30th Street. Turn left and drive a half-mile to the Navigators entrance on the right. Turn in, then immediately veer left to head into Glen Eyrie. Stop to register at the gate, then drive a bit further and park in a gravel lot at the head of the canyon.

TRIP LOG:

Two boots, two miles round-trip, 400 feet elevation gain.

THE HIKE:

Few people in Colorado Springs know about the punch bowls, even though they rank as one of the most refreshing summer hikes in the region.

The five polished granite pools engraved in Queens Canyon by Camp Creek are perfect for a dip, or just a nice picnic spot. They've been kept under wraps because this spot in the Pike National Forest is easily accessible only from Glen Eyrie, which is owned by the Navigators, a Christian missionary organization.

Anyone casually wandering into Glen Eyrie is usually scared away by a guard house-like gate. But don't be. The Navigators welcome hikers.

Locals should be thankful. This hike rocks.

The trail starts just past Colorado Springs founder William Jackson Palmer's Glen Eyrie castle and winds up Camp Creek. Soon the walls of Queens Canyon close around it.

After a few minutes, hikers will encounter a long wooden catwalk that hugs the gorge walls. Follow it up to a small dam. The trail continues along the creek for a half-mile and seems to end at an ambitious little spout of water called Dawson Falls.

Hikers who want to continue to the punch bowls should look for a trail lunging up to the right. It stays steep for about a tenth of a mile, then levels out again and follows the stream a short distance to the pools.

The first bowl is the biggest. And the depth is perfect for a vigorous plunge.

Up above, the other bowls get progressively smaller, but they still make a great natural playground for cooling off during a hot, summer hike.

Return the way you came.

DETAILS: Hiking from Glen Eyrie is free and open to the public, but hikers must register at the front gate. Don't forget a swimsuit.

INFORMATION: Glen Eyrie, 634-0808.

RATING SYSTEM: A scale of one to four boots. One is easiest, with little elevation gain, and it is at a reasonable altitude. Four is most difficult, with severe elevation gain, difficult terrain or extreme length or elevation.

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Lyons - Indian Pools for swimming this summer
Eldorado Springs- hiking and swimming

Golden - Mt. Galbraith Park

Mt. Galbraith Park is an awesome hiking spot just outside of Golden city limits. I would recommend going when you want to get your heart pumping and see some nice views, rather than exhausting yourself with a super steep and intense climb. The area is moderately open and exposed to the sun, so it is perfect for a colder day when you want to get some rays. All trails are for hikers only, so you don't have to worry about being run over by mountain bikers- hooray!

I parked at the main trailhead off of Golden Gate Canyon Road, which has a nice sized parking lot and a bathroom. I hiked up the Cedar Gulch trail, stopping at a couple nice overlooks of Golden and Boulder along the way. It is a pretty popular hike, but it's not overwhelmingly crowded (i.e. Chautauqua). I would like to continue on the Mount Galabrath loop next time I'm in the area- this area seems a little steeper, but you get better views of the mountains to the west. The Cedar Gulch trail is 3 miles round trip and took about 2 hours with a few breaks. 

Directions: Take US 58 to Golden, take a right on US 93, go a few miles down the road, and take a left on Golden Gate Canyon Road. Follow the road about 2 miles until you see the parking lot on the left. The park is well marked. 

Golden: North Table Mountain Park

This is a beautiful hike with excellent views, and is extremely close to Denver. The area has no trees and is extremely exposed to the sun and wind. I wouldn't recommend coming in the hot summer months because you will run the risk of getting fried. No matter what the temperature, remember to wear sunscreen and dress in layers.

We did the North Table Mesa loop, beginning at the southern entrance, which turned out to be about a 2 hour hike. The trail is gravel and wide enough to drive a car on. Although we ran into a number of mountain bikers, there really weren't that many hikers out on a Sunday afternoon. The beginning and end of the hike is steep, however the majority of the trail is flat and easy sailing. I would like to come back and do the bigger loop in the future. The views of Denver/Golden, the mountains, and nifty rock formations are incredible, so don't forget to bring your camera!

An interesting side note: this park has the nicest outdoor public restroom that I have ever seen! Running water, two bathroom stalls, and actual toilets (that were extremely clean, for the record). Stay classy, North Table Mountain.

Driving directions from Denver: Take the Golden exit, right on Hwy 93, drive a few minutes while looking for "North Table Mesa" signs. The parking lot and trailhead will be on the right.

Golden: Centennial Cone Park

We did a small loop, which lasted about 1.5 hours with a few breaks. From the trailhead we took Elk Range Trail to Travois Trail to Juniper Trail to Mayhem Gulch Trail to Travois Trail, which makes a nice little 2 mile loop. Map and park information here: http://jeffco.us/openspace/openspace_T56_R95.htm.

The hike was pretty gentle and mostly flat. Great for a hungover Sunday afternoon when you just want to get some fresh air and a little exercise in a beautiful setting. No water in the area. Hiking is allowed on odd numbered days, and mountain biking is allowed on even numbered days. There are some really nice overlooks and not a lot of people on the trail. I would like to come back and do the bigger loop. There is a bathroom at the trailhead.

Directions from Golden: Take 58 to US 6 toward Black Hawk. There will be a sign on the road for Centennial Cone Park. Go up the road and go straight when the road splits (the paved road will turn into gravel). The trailhead parking lot will be less than a mile up the road. Or, to add 1.5 miles onto your hike, park at the Mayhem Gulch parking area which is just off of US 6 before you see the sign for Centennial Cone Park.

Guanella Pass & Mt. Bierstadt

Best camping spot ever! And the hike wasn't bad either.

From Denver, take I-70 to the Georgetown exit. Go through town and follow the signs to Granella Pass. Once you turn onto Granella Pass Road and begin climbing up the mountain, drive 7-8 miles and look for our camping spot on the left. There are lots of camping spots in this area, but this one can accommodate many tents. Hint- you have to cross a stream to access the camping spot.

To access the Mt. Bierstadt trail, drive up Granella Pass about 12 miles. You will see a paved parking lot on the left with bathrooms. The trail starts right beside these bathrooms.

The Mt. Bierstadt hike is about 7 miles roundtrip, and is extremely intense (for me, anyway). You will climb almost 3,000 feet to get to the peak, which is 14,060 feet. This is apparently one of the easiest 14ers to hike, so you will encounter a ton of people, especially on the weekends. For the best weather, go in July, August, or early September (we went over Labor Day weekend).

Start the hike as early as possible to avoid afternoon thunderstorms. We arrived at the trailhead around 9:30 and hit the trail by 10, and were done with the hike around 3. Remember to pack lots of layers, because it gets colder the higher you climb! I was freezing once we reached the summit.

One more thing- pack a bunch of food and water. And make sure to stretch before you start!

Golden: Genesee Park

Although my memories are a little fuzzy, I remember this being one of my favorite hikes of the year. It will give you a good workout (you should definitely break a sweat) but won't leave you absolutely exhausted and wanting your bed. A good mix of shady forest in the beginning of the hike, followed by exposed rocky outcroppings later on. Make sure to bring plenty of water in the summer- you'll definitely need it.

Map at the trailhead

We followed the Beaver Brook trail, which will take you all the way to Windy Saddle Park in Golden (that would be quite a hike!). There is nice elevation gain on this trail, with some sweet overlooks a few miles in. You pretty much go as far as you want to go before turning around (there isn't a loop from what I remember). This picture was taken probably about 2 or 3 miles up the trail. Our friend said that there was an even better overlook about another half an out up the trail, but we didn't make it that far.

Photo credit to Miss Laura

Directions from Denver: Take I-70 to Exit 253 (Chief Hosa exit). Turn right off of the exit and take the first right onto Stapleton Drive, which turns into a gravel road. Follow this road for a mile or two until you see the parking lot for the trailhead on the left. There is a kiosk with a trail map (and I think a bathroom) at the trailhead. Start on the Braille Nature Center trail which will take you to the Beaver Book Trail shortly. Enjoy!

Kitana is a daring dog (or maybe just stupid?)

Highlands NC: Gorges State Park

I was born and raised in Western North Carolina, and have been on a lot of hikes in this area. The "holy trinity" of waterfalls in Gorges State Park (Turtleback Falls, Bust Your Butt Falls, and Rainbow Falls) is one of my favorite places in the entire country, and definitely worth checking out. But make sure to come during the summer, and bring your bathing suit.

First waterfall on tap: Rainbow Falls

The trailhead to Gorges State Park was going through construction the last time I was here, and I'm pretty sure they are putting in a new visitor's center. As of summer 2011, there is a huge parking lot with restrooms and a large trail map. From the trailhead, take the Rainbow Falls trail, which is about 3 miles round trip. The trial is a nice length to give you a little workout without being exhausting, and takes you through a beautiful area of shaded forest. The first waterfall you will come to is Rainbow Falls, which is one of the most photographed waterfalls in WNC. You can swim at the bottom of the waterfall, and if you are careful, can climb up on a ledge (about 20 feet from the water) to the left of the waterfall and jump in.

Like these guys

After Rainbow Falls, keep following the trail for another few minutes and you will hit Turtleback Falls. This is an awesome place to swim, and you can slide down the waterfall into a deep pool of water of pretty frigid water. There are also lots of rocks where you can sun after you freeze yourself in the river.

Turtleback Falls

After you've had your fill of Turtleback Falls, you can choose to wander back to the *forbidden* Bust Your Butt Falls. Keep following the trail on the right side of Turtleback Falls a few minutes and you will see a fence with a "No Trespassing" sign posted on it. Go around the fence (if you don't mind possibly getting a ticket for trespassing, that is) and make your way down to the river. Even if you don't want to slide down the falls into the water, there is a great swimming hole to chill out in or rock hop around. This area is private property, although it used to be open to the public a decade or so ago, and I'm not sure if park rangers patrol the area. So, proceed at your own risk.

Forbidden!!!

Driving directions from Brevard: Take the Asheville Highway past Rosman and up into the mountains around Highlands (US 64). Keep your eyes open for signs directing you to Gorges State Park. Enjoy!

Boulder: Bear Peak

This hike kicked my ass. Maybe it was the mad dash I made to find cover in a sudden hailstorm that did it, but my legs were hurting for at least three days after.

Fact: this is the highest peak in Boulder, elevation 8,461'. It is a 4-5 hour hike, so get started early.

Serious!

I was led to the trailhead by a Denver native, who navigated us through suburbia and parked along some street that I don't remember. After consulting a map which can be found here, I concluded that we ascended Bear Peak from the east (using the Fern Canyon trail), but I don't know what other trails we used. I remember that it took quite a bit of navigating, but there was plenty of signage to take us where we needed to go.

This was definitely one of the best hikes I took in 2011. The trails wind through areas of lush forest, rocky outcroppings, and steep drop-offs. The hike was absolutely exhausting but the view at the top was worth it.

My crew at the top

Tips for the hike: bring snacks and lots of water! And wear a good pair of shoes that won't give you blisters- ouch. Also, leave early in the day- like climbing a 14er, you want to be out off the peak by the time afternoon thunderstorms come rolling in. We got to experience one first hand, and it was pretty crazy.

Golden: White Ranch Park

Despite the seemingly racist name, this is my favorite hike in the neighborhood so far!

Golden: Apex Park

For the record, this is more of a mountain biking trail than a hiking trail, and the *official* trail head forces hikers to climb a huge elevation gain for about 5 miles. However, renegades like us make our own trail head!  Which just happens to be right across from this person's pimpalicious cabin in the mountains. If you look closely, you can see that it has a moat! 

If you like funny trail names, then this is the hike for you. I believe we did the "Grubstake" loop, which was about a 2 mile trek through a nicely forested area, with not much change in elevation. This is an ideal hike for when you're hung over and want to get some fresh air, but don't want to sweat all that delicious tequila out of your blood stream. And since the actual trail head is so far away from this section of the park, you will probably only ran into one or two mountain bikers, if anyone. Also, the views of Denver and Golden are phenomenal! This picture was taken on a hazy day, but you get the picture. 

Directions from Denver: Take I-70 to the Golden exit. Drive until you come to the Hwy 93/Hwy 6 intersection, and turn left onto Hwy 6. Turn right onto Lookout Mountain Road, and drive until you crest the mountain. Turn left onto Grandview Road, a left onto Bellview, and a right onto Parkview. This is a very residential neighborhood, and you might get some strange looks from the locals- a rabid looking beagle even started chasing our car! Drive until you see a road on your left, with a small gravel lot for parking on the right- you will see the trail from the road. Park here and walk left to the trail, where you'll see this sign. Enjoy!

Golden: Windy Saddle Park

Laura, Julie, and I stumbled upon this trailhead after looking for Apex Park (to no avail). Both Windy Saddle Park and Apex Park (apparently) are off of Lookout Mountain Road, which is a beautiful drive with plenty of fantastic overlooks of Denver and Golden. The trails in the park are dog-friendly, unlike the Lookout Mountain Nature Preserve (which is right next door), and the trail head is super easy to find. The trail was pretty flat and went through areas of shaded forest and exposed rock. We followed the Beaver Brook trail for about an hour and then turned around, but not before we got to a nice overlook.

Directions: from NE Denver, take I-70 to the Golden exit (US 58) and take a left at the first intersection (onto US 6). Turn right onto Lookout Mountain Road- there will be signs for the Nature Preserve, so it's hard to miss. Drive about 2 miles and turn into the trail head on the right- there is a large parking area, and will probably be a good number of cars if you go during the weekend.

Morrison: Red Rocks

Aspen: Castle Peak

Colorado Springs: Garden of the Gods

Boulder: Chautauqua Park (Royal Arch)

Black Hawk: Golden Gate Canyon State Park

Boulder: El Dorado Springs

WNC Parkway: Black Balsam