Elk Falls in Colorado’s new Staunton State Park will open to the public May 18th 2013. We are still in the process of creating a detailed trail profile,in the meantime, use these Google Directions to drive to the park.
If you are a fan of waterfall hikes and you live near Denver, you’ll know that it’s kind of slim pickings; most of the best waterfalls in Colorado require driving beyond the Front Range, or into Rocky Mountain National Park. Elk Falls, near Pine and Conifer, Colorado is just 1 hour from Denver. The 3700 acre Staunton State Park offers incredible hiking, rock climbing, and beautiful rock formations – all making for some great Colorado day hikes.
Opening Weekend Information
The Grand Opening will take place on Saturday, May 18th and Sunday, May 19th, 2013. The Park hours will be limited and parking will be limited as well. The hours will be 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. See this Staunton Park page for details on the additional parking and shuttles.
Elk Falls Overlook Hike
Elk Falls are stunning. Check out the video below to see footage of the falls which starts around 3 minutes in. The rest of the video will describe the distinct zones of Staunton State Park.
We’ve been in contact with the Park and it looks like the trail to the Elk Falls Overlook trail will be open, but the Elk Falls trail, that would take you right to the base of the waterfall is still being developed. Still, overlook should provide an amazing view of the waterfall. The hike to get to the Elk Falls overlook will take some work; it’s a 3.6 mile hike one-way (7.2 miles round trip).
Here’s a link to the new Staunton Park Trail Map to help you plan your trip.
Looking at the topography. I’d recommend taking the Scout Line Trail (1.5 mile) to the Bugling Elk Trail (1.1 mile), then take the Lion’s Back Trail (1 mile) to the overlook. The last mile looks like it will give your legs a workout. For a full list of the Staunton State Park trails, check out this link.
Hats off to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife and the donors who made this happen.
Fees: Because this is a Colorado State Park, there is an entrance fee. See the fees page for details.
More Hikes Near Conifer, Colorado:
- Maxwell Falls Near Conifer, Colorado
- Meyer Ranch Open Space Near Evergreen, Colorado
- Echo Lake Near Mount Evans
Links
Getting up into the mountains near Denver is a great way to cool off during the Fourth of July weekend. Wildflowers are in their glory and the mountain streams are still gushing with melt-water. But you probably don’t want to break the bank paying for fuel; and if you are like us, you’ve got some events to attend close to home. So, we’ve come up with 4 great hikes that are close to Denver, and hopefully (we can’t make promises) won’t be too crowed on the holiday weekend.
Click on the Maroon Links to get directions, trail maps, and hiking profiles.
#1 Panorama Point at Corwina Park
This is a 2.8 miles hike of medium difficulty, just 35 minutes from Denver. The trail begins along a small creek and winds around to Panorama Point, where as you would expect, there are some great views of Read More
Our children are not big enough to hike long distances yet. So, we usually we put the kiddos in the child carrier backpacks. When we can though, we try to break out the Bob Stroller and hit a local trail. Here are 4 trails close to Denver that work great with a stroller.
Criteria for these Denver Area Stroller Hikes
- Crushed Gravel or Paved Trail
- Great Views or Natural Features
- Accessibility
Click on the Maroon Links to get directions, trail maps, and hiking profiles.
#1 The Bluffs Loop South of Denver
This 2.7 mile loop trail is one of our favorites, and probably is the hike we do the most. The Bluffs provide panoramic views of Colorado’s Front Rang and of downtown Denver. We try to go around 7pm when the sun is setting. You’re likely to see deer and meadowlarks along the trail. Right now, we just hike it, but Read More
It’s hard to just get out of the house on a Saturday morning. Add a bit of cold weather, scraping the frost off the car, getting the family bundled up, and it’s just that much harder to get out and enjoy nature. So, I’ve looked over a few of our favorite local trails and decided on three Denver hikes that are really easy to get to and have a lot of “bang for the buck.”
Criteria for these Denver Winter Hikes:
- Accessible in the Winter
- Mostly Level Trails
- High on the Beauty & Wildlife Scale
#1 – South Valley Park Trails
Red Rock, Deer, and beautiful meadows are the draw here. Read More
