エルクヘッドマウンテンズのおすすめウォーキング＆ハイキングルート

The Pearl Lake Trail starts out very easy to follow but once you get to the Eastern side of the lake it becomes more of an unbeaten path. It is not a loop so you can decide how far you want to go and hike back the way you came.

The manmade Freeman Reservoir was created by building the 485-foot Freeman Reservoir Dam. The lake also provides a great place to hike and camp. The dam connects the trails on either side of the reservoir.

In Yampa Valley, you will find the 900-acre Elkhead Reservoir State Park. The Reservoir offers an abundance of outdoor recreational activities. Hiking is best on the East side of the reservoir on the Mountain View Trail. There are little to no trees around, so the sun can be incredibly powerful during hotter days.

Black Mountain is one of the most prominent peaks in the Elkhead Mountains. The Elkhead Mountains are a relatively low mountain range compared to other Colorado ranges, but Black Mountain still stands tall at 10,865 ft (3,312 m.). The summit is interesting because it's more of a plateau and ridge, which gives you lots of freedom at the top to explore and find your favorite views. This area is very remote and so are the trails. It can be hard to stay on the trail to the top sometimes. It is unlikely you see other hikers on the trail.

On the south shore of Freeman Reservoir, you'll find a small platform cut into the lake with some big boulders, which is a great spot for fishing or a scenic picnic.

Hahns Peak is a very prominent summit near Steamboat Lake State Park, Hahns Peak Lake & Pearl Lake State Park. The funny thing is that the peak, named after a gold miner Joseph Hahn, only is the 1855th highest peak in Colorado stating the immense size and amount of mountains in the state. There is an old Lookout at the top of the peak, which was completely restored in 2016 after falling in despair.

For day hikers there are a couple of dirt road parking spots at the start of the Mountain View Trailhead. The trail weaves and loops on the Eastern shore of the Elkhead Reservoir and with multiple turn-around options you can make this hike as short or long as you like.

On clear days you can see Sand Mountain in the distance across the lake. Sand Mountain is the highest peak in the Elkhead Mountains, a relatively low mountain range compared to other ranges in Colorado.