Colorado, Hike and Town Series, Hike and Town Series, Hiking

Hike and Town: Twin Lakes Interlaken and Buena Vista

Here is the next entry in my hike and town pairing series, in which I share an idea for a hike and a town to explore. This is an adventure from January 17 of this year with a twist; in winter, this is a snowshoe and town! Note that this adventure will take most of the day if you do it as a day trip from Denver, but it is well worth it.

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The Hike: Twin Lakes Interlaken

Name: Twin Lakes Interlaken

Length: 4.6 miles roundtrip: add about a mile roundtrip in winter to park at the winter trailhead (5.5 ish miles total!)

Elevation Gain: 213 feet

My rating: Easy, especially without snow. A fairly easy snowshoe- but snowshoeing 5.5 miles is no joke, so prepare!

Other info and tips:

  • This trail can be done in summer and would be excellent for fall leaves, because there are a lot of aspens. In winter, I would recommend snowshoes. Some people did do it without, but it involves some postholing (plunging your foot straight down into snow, not fun for me!).
    • You can rent snowshoes from REI or other outdoor retailers. Or you can buy the model Nick and I have:
  • You can continue up to 12 miles (or I mean, keep hiking along the Colorado Trail/Continental Divide trail for hundreds of miles!).
  • Find more information in the Colorado Mountain Club Snowshoe Routes book.
  • The drive from Denver is a bit over 2 hours each way; however, in winter, you need to contend with ski traffic on I-70, so keep that in mind and consider leaving as early as you can. The snowshoe itself took us 4 hours with a snack break and exploring the resort, so keep in mind this can be a long day!

Part of the fun of this hike is checking out the historic, now abandoned, Interlaken Resort. I wrote about some of the history in my post about our summer visit to the trail; there is also educational information about the history on some signs by the cabins.

This trail is really gorgeous from the beginning, with the gorgeous snow-capped peaks, including 14er Mount Elbert.

It’s a beautiful snowshoe among the aspen alongside the frozen lake.

You can explore the resort ruins and take a snack break before turning back.

 

The Town: Buena Vista

In summer, we visited the town of Twin Lakes when we did this hike, which is very small and just consists of a general store and restaurant/lodge. These are closed in winter. You could also visit Leadville; however, we chose Buena Vista for this visit and decided to take Highway 285 back to Denver to avoid I-70 ski traffic. Both Leadville and Buena Vista are about 20 minutes drive from Twin Lakes.

We love Buena Vista! It’s a fun town with boutiques and restaurants set against the Collegiate Peaks.

We decided to try Simple Eatery for soup and sandwiches, which was so delicious. I’d highly recommend it. Plus, they are housed with a fun outdoor store called The Trailhead, so you can grab any supplies you need.

For a long drive back to Denver, a stop at Buena Vista Roastery is a must; it’s a really nice indie coffee shop. We also love Deerhammer Distillery, which makes great whiskey and gets festive in summer with a food truck and cocktails outside. Eddyline Brewing is a fun local brewery.

Let me know if the comments if you make this trip or if you have other suggestions for cool places in Buena Vista!

by admin
Colorado, Hike and Town Series

Hike and Town: Coyote Ridge and Fort Collins

I am going to be starting a new series focused on sharing a hike and a nearby town or city, with some suggestions for lunch, drinks, and shopping (and by shopping, I mostly mean independent bookstores. I have really been enjoying doing these pairings in Colorado in my last few years living here. Today, I am sharing one that Nick and I did recently: January 15 of this year.

This site contains affiliate links to products. I may receive a commission for purchases made through these links, but I only recommend products I know and love.

The Hike: Coyote Ridge Trail

Name: Coyote Ridge Trail

Length: 4.1 miles roundtrip

Elevation Gain: 564 feet

My rating: Easy, although if you are not used to elevation, take it easy!

Other info and tips:

  • This would also be an excellent trail run since it’s not super technical (no hiking poles needed for me).
  • No dogs.
  • This would be fun for kids!
  • It can be done year round, but there is little shade. We love it for winter.
  • This is only about an hour drive from Denver, near Loveland and Fort Collins

Coyote Ridge is featured in the book Basecamp Denver, which I highly recommend for detailed descriptions of great hikes within driving distance of Denver. It is a prairie hike with some pretty fascinating geology; this was an ancient sea that was pushed up into a ridge when the Rockies were formed.

There is a lot of educational information, which I always love (and would be fun for kids I think!).

 

You will likely see prairie dogs and other wildlife, such as hawks (this is rattlesnake country in warmer weather, so stay on trail and keep your eyes peeled).

There are really nice views throughout, but the real treat is the mountain views at the end, once you’ve climbed up some long, easy switchbacks.

The above imagine is from this year, January 2022.

An even snowier view in February 2021.

The Town: Fort Collins

There is a lot to say about Fort Collins, but I will share some favorites of mine thus far. For lunch, head downtown and try Beau Jo’s pizza, home of the “Colorado Mountain Pie.” They have a thick, delicious crust, and give you honey to dip your crust into.

If you would like some dessert after, try an outpost of the famous Little Man Ice Cream, Old Town Churn:

It is in an area across from Beau Jo’s called “The Exchange” that has a few more options for food, drink, and hanging out in the courtyard if it is nice outside.

There is an independent bookstore nearby called Old Firehouse Books that is well…in an old firehouse. Definitely recommend a stop there!

If it is sunny out, and you want to grab a beer, you can always head to New Belgium Brewing! This is not right in downtown like my other suggestions, but it is such a fun stop if you have time. They often have food trucks outside.

I hope this post gave you some ideas for a fun day out with a hike and town. Leave comments with your favorite hikes and places to go in and near Fort Collins!

 

by admin