Written by Mary Murphy
Most Colorado College students take pride in their sense of place, for they are in a unique position to learn, grow, and spend time in Colorado’s unique landscape. As spring rolls in, with summer close behind, many students find themselves stuck in an area of unknown: their sense of place primarily contains knowledge of fall and winter outdoor activities.
Summer in Colorado is something many students have never experienced, and the lack of skiing and cold weather activities encourages many of us to stop in our tracks and marvel at the new season of opportunities. I had a very unique childhood experience: I grew up between Florida and Colorado. I spent the majority of my years in hot, sunny South Florida, but in the summer months my family would migrate to Colorado. Before I came to CC, I had only ever experienced one or two real “Colorado winters.”
My fondest outdoor memories are from my time in Colorado, when I would spend the summer months exploring rivers and lakes and biking through mountains. My summers in Colorado are embodied by the excitement of Colorado waterways and the beauty of Colorado wildflowers. In preparation for late spring and the rise of summer, here are a few hikes that will definitely make us CC students feel a sense of place in Colorado, even in the summer.
Number One: Rainbow Lake Trail. This easy hiking trail is a Colorado native’s favorite, located right outside Frisco. The trail is less than a mile, but in this case it is the destination, not the journey, that counts. At the end of the trail, after wandering through Aspen trees and tall pines, there is a lake. In the summer months, this lake is surrounded by Colorado wildflowers of every color imaginable. (Hence the “Rainbow” in the trail name.) This lake is a prime spot for fishing, or just stopping to take in the beauty of it all.
Number Two: Pine Valley Ranch Park outside Littleton, Colo. This park is more of a frequented spot, and is very accessible from Denver. Pine Valley Ranch is home to over 100 hiking and mountain biking trails. These trails run through two wildlife conservation areas and several state parks, and are home to both easy and moderate trails. This is a great spot to explore with a group of friends, whether hiking or just looking for good picnic spots.
Number Three: Devil’s Backbone; Loveland, Colo. This trail is for more experienced hikers, although the first section is pretty easy. It is known for the spiny rock formation that stretches parallel to the trail and looks similar to a giant backbone. This trail is a beautiful spot to see wildflowers, but doesn’t have any tree coverage so it can get pretty hot. This trail is also at a higher elevation and can get very windy as well.
Number Four: Gregory Canyon, Boulder, Colo. This canyon has about 20 miles of trails to offer, and all of the beauty of Colorado can be seen within each one. There are grassy meadows (full of flowers in the summer), tall pine trees, and even some steeper, rocky sections. This trail really captures the essence of Colorado: it offers a great workout along with great views. From the beginning of the trail, several rock formations such as arches and slanting cliffs are visible. Choosing to hike multiple trails or a longer loop (off the main Mesa trail), one might find wildflower meadows surrounded by pines, or open views of the Front Range Mountains.
I urge CC students who are here over the summer to take advantage of the opportunity to explore the beauty of Colorado. Whether choosing to hike, bike, climb, or fish, these four trails will offer you an abundance of outdoor fun, and also a new perspective on this beautiful place that many of us call home.