Beginner’s Trail Guide: East side of Rocky Mountain National Park

The entrance to the eastern side of RMNP is right outside of downtown Estes Park. Now that Highway 36 is completely restored, the drive is an easy and scenic hour and a half from Denver.

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As any basic Google searching will tell you, Bear Lake is the perfect place for beginners, first timers, out of towners, and anyone that is not familiar with Colorado or hiking. Or even nature. Because of this, the Bear Lake parking lot fills up VERY quickly in the summer. There’s a shuttle from a satellite lot which isn’t a horrible pain in the ass, but it’s not especially convenient either. Plan on being there by 7 am in the summer. Once school is back in, your start time gets a lot more generous.

Bear Lake has a very nice level trail (except one short stretch) offering stunning views and plenty of benches to take a break on. The loop around the lake is short – just a half a mile, so it’s the perfect starting point to test the waters of hiking and higher elevation. You’ll start at about 9,000 feet at most places in the park and then climb from there, so don’t be surprised if you’re huffing and puffing.

If you want to adventure beyond Bear Lake (red trail on the map below), there are plenty of options depending on how ambitious you want to be. You can do a 3-4 mile out and back route from Bear Lake to Emerald Lake (orange), or if you’re more ambitious, you can make a large loop (yellow…about 8 miles!) by continuing on to Lake Haiyaha, Alberta Falls, and Glacier Gorge before returning to the Bear Lake parking lot. You can also just hit Alberta Falls from Bear Lake, which is a 2-3 mile round trip. For a complete trail map, click here.

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Yeah, my Paint skills are pretty impressive. #advancedblogging

For my boyfriend’s birthday, I got really ambitious (I was in the peak of summer fitness, mind you) and we decided to go for the 8 miler. Each lake you arrive at is increasingly beautiful, so make sure you have plenty of room on your phone to take pictures of EVERYTHING. You have varying awesome views of Hallett’s Peak, which hardcore outdoorsy peeps like to actually climb. I prefer to admire from afar.

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First stop, Nymph Lake.

The path up to Emerald Lake does get steep. There are plenty of places you’ll want to stop in and take the scenery, but you’re going to get in a good workout! The trail is mostly downhill on the way home and also offers several flatter areas. Don’t forget to take care of your knees and take it slow coming back down.

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Your reward for that climb! This was taken on an unusually calm day, hence the epic reflection of Hallet (the peak, not the old man in the corner).

If you’re continuing on to Haiyaha, be prepared to climb right back up! Once you get back to Dream Lake from Emerald, you’ll be going up. For a while. Lake Hiyaha doesn’t offer quite the same caliber of scenery as the previous lakes, but it still offers some pretty cool views. Plus, you start going back downhill or, at least, leveling out for a while.

From Haiyaha (by the way, this is pronounced Hi-yay-uh…I think), you go for 2.1 miles before coming to a junction. Turn left to go back towards home. You’ll pass two amazing waterfalls, the second of which being Alberta Falls, which means you’re on the home stretch.

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Are your legs yelling at you yet? You could’ve taken the easy route and just headed here after Bear Lake.

Whatever the opposite of a false summit is (False parking lot? False end of the trail? False access to badly needed bathrooms?), that is the only way to describe what happens after Alberta Falls. You assume that since you did nothing but go up for the first half of the hike, you’ll be doing nothing but going down. No, RMNP has a cruel sense of humor. After passing the Glacier Gorge trailhead, you go BACK.UP. Like seriously steeply back up. You’ll be fine, just prepare yourself emotionally.

If you are in dire need of a restroom (or the shuttle bus to take you back to the Bear Lake parking lot…no judgment here), you can end your trip at Glacier Gorge. Once you turn onto the trail towards the parking lot, it’s about a five-minute walk before you’re near benches and bathrooms.

Bottom Line

RMNP is obviously a national park, so it does cost money to get in. Insert my usual preaching about how this fee is well worth it, helps keep the park awesome, etc.

Test the waters at Bear Lake. You’ll get your money’s worth of scenery and a good starter hike. If you’re feeling ambitious, go out to Emerald Lake – you won’t regret it. If you’re inspired to take on a big hike (check the weather first!!) then try out the loop of lakes. And if you want to mix things up a bit after taking a lap around Bear Lake, then pop by Alberta Falls before heading out.

Remember – you’re at substantial elevation. Bring LOTS of water. And snacks. Check the weather and pay attention to it as you’re hiking! If there’s a chance of rain, bring rain gear. If you want to know what else to wear hiking, here’s my beginner’s guide.

If you’re looking for a guide to the other side of the park, check out my trail guide from the Grand Lake entrance.

Trail Guide: Beginner Hiking at Staunton State Park

I’ve been to Staunton Stake Park twice, and I’m already in love. When my parents visited from Maryland a few weeks ago, I needed an option for hiking that wasn’t too far from Denver. It also had to offer doable trails for people living essentially at sea level. Staunton has all of this (and you don’t have to sacrifice views!). Not only did my parents survive the trip, but our friend Leah who legitimately lives AT sea level (the Florida Keys…lucky lady!) also enjoyed an excursion at Staunton.

Staunton is one of Colorado’s newest parks (like really new – it just opened in May 2013) and it does not disappoint. It’s less than an hour from Denver, and the drive is not only gorgeous but easy. Totally manageable for tentative mountain drivers and the park is easy to find.

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The park has a number of trails that are open to mountain bikers, hikers, and horses. There are a few hiker-only trails, but we opted for the Staunton Ranch trail (for a complete trail map, go here). It’s a 3ish mile out-and-back that offers stunning views of the park as well as a moderate challenge.

The trail guide also said Staunton Ranch was a trail with great wildlife watching, but the only wildlife we saw in September were deer in the parking lot and an unidentified mammal/rodent. Maybe a marmot? I obviously need to get on The Google.

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The Staunton Ranch Trail is gradually uphill but levels out about an hour in. There are plenty of opportunities to take a break (and take in the views), and only one or two parts where the trail is even very steep. We went as far as the main junction between Staunton Ranch, Marmot Passage, and Old Mill trails. It took us a little over an hour to get that far.

Staunton Park is a great place for first timers and other beginners thanks to brand-spanking new trails that are really well marked. Plus, at major trail junctions there are bear-proof trash cans and occasionally port-o-potties. That’s right people, bathrooms on the trail!! As someone who chugs water religiously while hiking (and who has had some close calls getting to a bathroom in time as a result), this was a super exciting development.

Well marked trails, a bathroom, AND a trash can? I must be in heaven.
Well marked trails, a bathroom, AND a trash can? I must be in heaven.

All mountain bikers we encountered were very friendly and courteously shared the trail. I would suggest yielding to horses as well – and looking out for their poop (a drawback of the multi-use trails but something I’m used to as a weird horse person).

For more advanced/fit/adventurous hikers, there’s a longer loop that goes to Elk Falls, which is beautiful. There are plenty of trails to explore in the park, giving you different options for each time you come back (and you will – trust me!).

My only complaint is that you can’t camp there, but it’s really not the end of the world. The website says camping isn’t available “at this time,” so that makes me think it could be in the works for the future.

Bottom Line

Great trails, nice facilities (including a big picnic pavilion!), and gorgeous views make this park a wonderful hidden gem that any Denverite (or visiting Denverite) should check out. Since it’s a state park, it costs $7 to get in if you don’t have an annual pass. The fee simply allows Colorado Parks & Wildlife to maintain the park, so having to pay to use all of their wonderful amenities and beautiful trails is always worth it!

Campground Guide: Platte River Campground in Pike National Forest

Highway 67 follows the South Platte River through the Pike National Forest. It’s a popular spot for tubing and fishing, and staying at the South Platte Campground gives you the perfect starting spot for both. If you’re looking for a campground with a lot of hiking, this ain’t it! But it’s a beautiful spot that’s also pretty peaceful considering you’re not far from a road.

Directions from Denver

South Platte Campground is about an hour and a half southwest of Denver. It’s a location on Google Maps, so you can type that into your phone before you head out. No matter where in the metro area you might be coming from, you make your way to Sedalia via 85. From Sedalia, you head up!

The drive is unremarkable until you get to a section of Pine Creek road off of Highway 64 that is unpaved, narrow, rough, and steep. It’s not for the faint of heart, or those without an SUV. It’s doable if you go slow, just nerve-wracking if you’re not use to driving in the mountains (or what Colorado considers a road sometimes).

I honestly found it terrifying my first time driving it. There are spots to pull over and let people by, but there are also very impatient people in their giant trucks who swerve around you if you don’t get to a pull-out in time.

You can alternatively take 285 to Pine, but I haven’t personally taken that way and am not sure what the road is like past Pine.

Campsites

South Platte has tent pads, which makes it easy to find a level spot to put your tent. Unfortunately, this doesn’t mean there’s any extra padding. I was hoping for that my first time, I’m not gonna lie.

Every campsite has a fire pit with a grate as well as a picnic table. The sites are all pretty private. A few don’t have a lot of shade, but are at least far away from the other sites.

The year we camped, another couple told us the campground host and his bros got quite rowdy at night, but fortunately they were gone all night (which seems like maybe a no-no if you’re the campground host? I don’t actually know). That year’s host also didn’t have any firewood and was basically useless, so the fact that there’s no longer a host at the campground shouldn’t be an issue!

Normally, a campground host is someone who lives at the campground to answer questions, help you get set up, and usually have firewood for sale. There are some absolutely fantastic campground hosts that make my beginner heart so happy…but there’s also a lot of not-so-great ones. You’ll be fine without one!

If you need to get firewood, you can find it in Deckers. It’s a ten-minute drive and the town has a grocery store for anything you might want to pick up!

a yellow tent on a tent pad in front of a grassy hill with lots of tall pine trees

All the sites are walk-up, which means you can’t park your car right at the spot where you’re camping. You do need to schlep your stuff to the site, so if you prefer to bring a ton of stuff with you car camping, this may not be the best fit. There also aren’t bear lockers, so you have to bring all your food and toiletries back to the car when you’re done. The walk varies from a few minutes to up to ten, depending on how fast you walk and which site you’re at.

Campground Fees and Reservations

There are no reservations, since there are just 10 first-come, first-serve spots. We arrived in the early evening in mid-August and had no trouble finding a site. Bring cash to pay the $20/night fee at the service station where you park.

Toilet Situation

Vault toilets, baby! Get use to them if you’re camping. A vault toilet is a toilet over a very deep hole. It’s like a port-o-potty where the bottom of the toilet part is very far away. It’s still smelly, and if people leave the door open, there can be flies. They are usually a cement or wood structure, so at least better than a port-o-potty for stability? Bring hand sanitizer and PLEASE put the toilet seat down and close the door behind you.

These doors were particularly slow to close, which was nice because they couldn’t slam and wake you up at night, but also bad because there were a TON of insects inside.

Nearby Activities

The riverfront is pretty much it. If you’re here to fish or tube, you’ll have great access. If you want to go hiking, this isn’t the right spot. If you are a chill-and-just-eat-smores kind of camper, this campground could also be a good fit for you! And, if you’re camping with kids, they might love wading around in the river (as long as there aren’t already anglers fishing in the area).

I was really excited about the idea of a riverfront campground, but didn’t think this part through and was kind of disappointed we just had to pack up and leave in the morning to go hiking somewhere else.

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Morning on the South Platte is beautiful. This is the only trail you’ve got, though!

Other Intangibles

You don’t drive through a whole lot of civilization on your way out, so you’re definitely a little “out there.” Once you leave Sedalia, there’s really nothing unless you keep driving to Deckers, which is a very small town.

The campground is at higher elevation than Denver (6,400 feet) so pack some warm layers for overnight and those wonderful chilly mornings.

Remember everything you need with the help of my simple, clickable packing list! It’s just $5 and includes dinner ideas.

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Overall Impression

If you want to have some time out in nature to enjoy fishing, I would absolutely recommend this campsite. If you’re like me and looking for a good spot to camp and go exploring on some trails, I’d skip this site and look for other options to make your drive worth it.

If you’d like a video tour of the campground, check out Campground Recon on YouTube. They have a tour of South Platte here.

Campground Guide – Big Meadows at Shenandoah National Park

Big Meadows is as close to an ideal first campground as you can get. With real bathrooms and a host of other amenities, it’s a great introduction to camping without sacrificing scenery. Here’s what you need to know before you go.

Directions

At just over two hours from DC, Big Meadows (and Shenandoah in general) is convenient to the entire metro area. You do have to take 66, meaning you will want to gouge out your eyeballs if you leave anywhere close to rush hour. This shouldn’t be an issue if you’re camping on the weekend, or if you can manage to leave by lunch on Friday.

Other than that, the drive is easy with plenty of places to stop along the way to get food or anything you forgot. Your biggest worry? Making sure you don’t speed once you’re in Rappahannock County. The cops will get you, and they have no mercy.

Campsites

Big Meadows is a large campground, with a vast majority of the sites being standard drive-in sites. If you would like to try your hand at walk-in campsites, this would be a good place since the entire campground is very flat (unlike the walk to many campsites in Colorado!).

If you’re wondering, “What is she talking about…I have no clue what the difference is between those options,” then read more here. While the campground is big, the area is still quite secluded and peaceful. All the sites have ample shade and you have a decent amount of space between you and your neighbors.

There are no tent pads, but every campsite has a firepit with a grate and a picnic table. Bear boxes aren’t provided, so you will have to store everything in your car. Rangers are vigilant about enforcing this rule, so don’t get lazy!

Big Meadows is also a good place to go with friends – there are plenty of campsites large enough to accommodate groups, and sharing a campsite can make the group camping experience all the more fun.

Campground Fees and Reservations

There are a few first-come, first-serve campsites that you may be able to snag in spring or fall, but if you head out during the summer you’re going to need a reservation (unless you want to get up at the crack of dawn to take your chances at first-come, first-serve). Reservations can be made easily online at Recreation.gov.

Tent campsites are $20 per night. You’ll also have to have a national parks pass to get into Shenandoah. The annual pass is money well spent, but does cost $80. It’s free for military service members, however!

Toilet Situation

Off the hook. Big Meadows has real toilets, real sinks, electricity and running water. Aww yeah. They even have showers (although they’re very rustic!) near the campground entrance.

Nearby Activities

Equally off the hook. There is a trail leading directly from the campground that hooks up to the Appalachian Trail, and being in Shenandoah you have more trails than you can ever hope to choose from within walking or very short driving distance.

The weekend that we went, we opted for the Stony Man Trail because I was still recovering from a knee injury and needed something that was beginner-friendly. This is an easy 1.6 mile loop – it’s uphill the entire way to the overlook, but at a very reasonable grade. Children and adults of all ages and sizes easily handled the trail right along with me, and you don’t have to give up on having a awe-inspiring view.

In addition to hiking, there is also an equestrian center if some horseback fun is more your flavor. Skyline Drive, which runs through the entire park, is an iconic drive as well with countless overlooks. There’s really no shortage of things to do in Shenandoah. We stayed for only one night since I had to work that weekend and I was DYING to stay longer. Big Meadows is centrally located, so you have easy access to everything.

Other Intangibles

The amenities at Big Meadows are second to none. Not only are there real bathrooms, real showers, and high-quality campsites, there is a legit restaurant at the campground entrance and a thoroughly stocked camp store. If you’re there and decide you hate camping, you can even upgrade to the lodge that’s not too far away. Everything you could want is provided for you…but if you don’t need it, you’re not sacrificing the traditional camp experience.

If you opt out of all the amenities (assuming you still use the bathrooms instead of a tree or bush), you still get an authentic camping experience. The lodge, restaurant, showers, etc., are all spread out across the expansive campground, so if you stick to the tent sites, you’ll never even know all the other stuff is there.

How to pick the perfect first 5k

Honestly, I could sum up this blog in one sentence. Make sure your first race is going to be FUN!

If you’re looking to sign up for your very first 5k, you’re most likely just beginning to run. I started trolling for the Perfect First 5k almost immediately after deciding to try out running. I wanted a concrete deadline of when I needed to be able to run 3.1 miles to keep myself from slacking off. I’m cheap enough that shelling out $35 to run around my own city is plenty of motivation to stay on track.

My only goal (and yours should be too) for my first race was to not walk. I am not in the elite athlete category, so I passed over any races that even mentioned qualifying for anything, course records, age group finishers, etc. And I found the perfect one: The Ugly Sweater Run.

That is a child's skirt. Billy is sporting a women's plus size turtleneck. Gotta love K-Mart.
That is a child’s skirt. Billy is sporting a women’s plus size turtleneck. Gotta love K-Mart.

Its name should give you a hint as to how seriously people take the race (which was not at all, unless you count how important having an awesome costume was). It was exactly what I was looking for: a laid-back, fun introduction to running races.

While the Ugly Sweater Run returns to many cities every winter, all you really need to look for is a race that looks more like a party than a gathering of disciplined athletic individuals. If there’s a theme to the run (and especially if you’re encouraged to show up in costume), you’re on the right track.

Some people might complain that these races are SO popular that running is miserable with all of the people you’re packed in with. But in my opinion, popular is good, especially for your first time.

A well-run race will release everyone in staggered groups, and being surrounded by other runners (many of whom are also beginners!) helps keep you going when you start feeling tired. Because you will. The adrenaline rush you get at the start line (or was that just me because they played Mariah Carey’s “All I Want For Christmas Is You”?) will start to fade, but the herd mentality will help ward off your desire to walk.

Photo from Ugly Sweater Run's Pinterest
Photo from Ugly Sweater Run’s Pinterest

Most of the time, picking one of these goofy themed races automatically means they are catering to beginners, so the course will probably be easy. It doesn’t hurt to check it out, though. You can always do a trial run of the course (as long as its not along a major road ordinarily dangerous for runners…like the Ugly Sweater) and at the very least, you can get a sense for where the course goes, how hilly it is, and how easy it is to know where you’re going.

I will say that last year’s course at the Ugly Sweater was a little misleading since I hadn’t memorized all the turns. I thought I was running up my last hill and on to finish line glory, so I laid on the gas all the way up the hill. Once reaching the top, I realized, to my horror, that I had to turn and go another quarter of a mile. So find an easy course. Or make sure you actually remember the course.

If you’re going to a different city for your first race, doing your research on the course (or just the city’s geography in general) is even more important. I inadvertently ran the hardest 3.1 miles of my life when I assumed that a 5k in Omaha would be flat and easy. Don’t my mistakes – Omaha is freaking HILLY, y’all.

My last piece of advice is also a pretty obvious one – make sure you get something awesome from the race! Finishers medals are always fun, but make sure you’re going to at least get a cool t-shirt out of the run. The Ugly Sweater Run gives you an awesome beanie, plus had a Sam Adams-sponsored after party that entitled you to two free post-run beers.

Yep, that's Warren Buffett in a track suit running to victory
Yep, that’s Warren Buffett in a track suit running to victory

So when you’re looking for your first race, make sure you find a fun-loving, awesome prize-giving hell of a good time! Make your first race a party – crossing the finish line is all the more sweet when you’re running through fake snow and a giant inflatable igloo.