Colorado is known for its snowy, windswept peaks and all of the incredible sights you can see on a remote alpine hike. Many of us anticipate the summer months when the snow melts away enough to access our favorite trailheads and find a little bit of self care in the solitude that awaits. 

In North Park, you can find some of the best hikes in Colorado, all without the crowds and impact of irresponsible hikers. Jackson County has hundreds of miles of hiking trails, including sections of two long thru-hikes. If you want to avoid the hassle of scheduled entry into RMNP or hikers in toe shoes along the Front Range, there’s a place serious backpackers have been going for generations.

Public Lands and Wild Places

North Park is one of three major “parks” in Colorado, along with Middle Park and South Park. A park is essentially an intermountain basin, and once you enter Jackson County, you’ll notice that we are surrounded by mountains on all sides. The basin itself sits at around 8000 feet above sea level, while some of the surrounding peaks top out at nearly 13,000 ft. This makes for some dramatic elevation climb in a relatively short distance. Sometimes within only four or five miles.

Our three main mountain ranges are the Never Summer Range, which borders Rocky Mountain National Park to the south; the Medicine Bow Range, which is also part of the Rawah Wilderness; and the Park Range, which is part of the Zirkel Wilderness.

Within the valley, you’ll find plenty of rolling hills covered with sagebrush, as well as lush river bottoms of timothy grass and red willow stands. Along with Bureau of Land Management lands in the interior, you can also find the Arapaho National Wildlife Refuge, which gives plenty of moose, waterfowl, deer and elk, and raptors a habitat away from busy roads. There you will also find bird blinds and ponds to view wildlife at a distance.

Much of the alpine forests of the mountains are also on public land, with the Arapaho-Routt National Forest, Medicine Bow National Forest, and Colorado State Forest State Park covering much of the territory. Due to its remoteness, many of the trails in North Park are simple, without much development. Single track trails often reach up to the crests of these mountain ranges, following cairns for miles, giving hikers unparalleled views.

Stay Safe While Hiking

The Colorado high-country can be pretty intense sometimes. The altitude itself takes some time to acclimatize to and is also part of the reason our weather can seem so random. Hiking the mountains can be an incredible experience, but it isn’t without its hazards. Here’s some of the things to keep in mind on your journey. 

Snow: Summer doesn’t always mean the snow has stopped, especially at higher elevations. It’s not unusual to get all four seasons in one day in the high country, with snow falling well into July.

Lightning: Above tree line and wide open spaces, you might find yourself as the tallest object around. When summer storms roll in, be very cautious of lightning storms and take shelter whenever possible. Get low!

Wind: With these big winter storms, wind can be very dangerous. Recent beetle-kill remediation has left many standing dead trees called “widow-makers” which can fall without warning during high winds. While camping and backpacking, be sure to set up your camp at a safe distance from dead trees.

Insects: North Park’s official bird could be the mosquito, so be sure to use plenty of insect repellent while adventuring in the outdoors. Ticks can also be a problem too, which can carry diseases such as Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever.

Hypothermia: Stepping into cold water, or even just getting wet from rain or snow—or even just your own sweat!—can quickly drop your core temperature. To combat this, dress in layers with a waterproof shell. Shed a layer if you begin to sweat and add a layer back if you get cold. Avoid wading through water and change into dry clothes if you do get wet.

Water: Speaking of water…when enjoying the outdoors, also carry plenty of water. Hydration is important when it comes to fighting dehydration, hypothermia, altitude sickness, and other problems. Though there might seem to be plenty of lakes and streams with running water, you should filter or chemically purify all drinking water first. Girardia and other waterborne illnesses can make you very sick and cut your expedition short.

Pink snow: In the high-country you might encounter snow drifts with a pink color that smell like watermelon. This is the forbidden snowcone. Ingesting this snow can make you very sick. It is actually a bloom of algae, which are single cell organisms that react to sunlight much like their cousins in the sea. You're basically looking at a red tide in the snow. 

Wildlife: North Park is home to a wide range of animals, from riparian browsers such as deer, elk, and moose to predators like bears, mountain lions, and even wolves. Do not interact with wildlife. This can result in harm to you, and even harm to them as “problem” animals are often euthanized by CPW with only one contact with humans. Keep your distance, use bear proof containers for food and garbage, and never feed wildlife. For more information on how to be Bear Aware, check out the CPW site.

Cairns

When trails run out, you’ll find markers of another kind. Stacks of rocks known as cairns will guide the way, marking trails where rocky moraines aren’t ideal for trail building. These rock features last throughout the intense winters, almost indefinitely.

This is one of the reasons it’s important to practice Leave No Trace hiking. Rock stacking (which has become inexplicably popular—along with petting moose and bison) can lead to confusion and even harm hikers by getting them lost. They are also annoying and disrupt the scenery.

Leave no trace: Along with rock stacking, carving into trees, chalking rocks, or littering, there are all sorts of ways to ruin things for other hikers. Don’t be that guy. Public lands are not only a resource for forestry and other resources, recreation and personal enjoyment is a huge part of their purpose. When people ruin these areas, they are often blocked off so the land can recover. Unfortunately, many of these areas are never reopened. If you want to enjoy these rugged outdoors, please Leave No Trace.

Hike with a Buddy

Backpacking and hiking in North Park isn’t like walking through your town park. Hikes tend to lean into difficult to extreme levels. Combined with elevation gain, lack of mobile phone service, wildlife, and other challenges, it is important to have someone watching your back. Hiking alone can be dangerous, especially if you become lost or injured.

Finding a Trail

Check out our trail maps at the link here. North Park has so many incredible hikes. Here are just a few recommendations:

• Rainbow Lakes
• Lake Agnes
• State Forest State Park
• Grizzly Helena
• Kelly Lake 
• Nature Trails of Gould
• Rawah Wilderness
• Zirkel Wilderness

What to Bring On Your Adventure

Whether you are a long distance backpacker or just here for a social media detox, you are going to want to come prepared. Remember to dress for all four seasons in one day, equip yourself with proper footwear (think hiking boots and less sandals or sneakers). Always be considerate of private property and check maps before you go. Property lines aren’t always marked and you could find yourself trespassing or disturbing livestock if you aren’t careful. Here are some suggestions for what you will need on a hike in Jackson County, CO. 

• Rain gear
• Hiking poles
• Bear spray
• Extra socks
• Sunscreen (at altitude the sun’s rays will burn you much faster, even on cloudy days!)
• Compass
• Firestarter
• Water purifier/water bottles

For the Rest of Your Adventure Needs

Resupply in Walden, Gould, Lake John, Cowdrey. We have all sorts of places where you can get snacks, sporting goods, and other backpacking needs. If you want to take a break from the trail, you’ll find all sorts of accommodations from AirBnB and VRBO stays, hotels, and restaurants to enjoy a cold beer and a hot meal.

Book your lodging in vacation rental property in Walden, CO, Gould, and beyond! Choose from a wide selection of vacation rentals, ranging from quaint to unique, and anywhere between single occupancy or large groups of visitors.

• Antlers Inn Call: (970) 723-8690
• North Park Inn and Suites Call: (970) 723-4271
• Chedsey Motel Call: (970) 723-8201
• Lake John Resort (970) 723-8201
• Yonder Yurts 
• Powderhorn Lodge (970) 723-4359
• Check out these listings for other places in Jackson County!

More Info for Thru-hikers! 

Did you know that the Continental Divide Trail runs through the southern edge of North Park? On June 9th, the Continental Divide Trail Coalition is having an open house at the River Rock in Walden, CO to meet with the public and answer any questions visitors might have about the Continental Divide Trail. 

In case you missed the article about the Muddy Pass Gap on the CDT, you can read about it here. Not many locals are even aware one of the greats of the Triple Crown of American thru-hikes runs through North Park’s backyard. The CDTC is here to change that and hopefully give Walden the tools it needs to become a gateway town along the CDT.

Welcome Back to Summer!

Springtime means the world is waking up from a long winter sleep, and along with that so is the North Park community. Though the snow is still deep in the mountains, Summer will be here before you know it. That’s why it’s always a good idea to make your plans now!

You can also subscribe to the Visit North Park Newsletter where you’ll receive posts directly to your inbox or via Substack to stay on top of what is happening in Walden and all of Jackson County! It’s free and you won’t be spammed. Follow us on social media on  Facebook or Instagram, for regular updates of events, stunning photos, and historical tidbits.