Take the Trails of Rocky Mountain National Park
Slip on Paul Bunyan’s boot along the way through the breathtaking hike in Rocky Mountain National Park
“This park is the jewel of Colorado,” hiking guide Marlene Borneman tells our group of gals as we set off on our expedition to Gem Lake in Rocky Mountain National Park. Ready to show off what is only a sliver of the beauty in Estes Park, Marlene led us on a hike (3.6 mi. R.T.) across the Lumpy Ridge Trailhead near the Twin Owls. “I always carry a camera. You never know what wildlife you might see,” Marlene says. After climbing just over 900 feet and passing a rock formation that resembles Paul Bunyan’s boot, we reached the summit of Gem Lake where sandy shores sit ready for any hiker ready to take a break.
Our hiking group usually rolls solo to conquer the trails but decided to switch things up by taking a guided hike with Kirks Mountain Adventures. The benefit: learning nifty facts along the way. “And this is a flower botanists go crazy for. There are only a few places you will find a rare flower named saxifrage,” Marlene pointed to a beautiful flower tucked into a rock crevice that we would have walked by without noticing. As someone that has climbed all 126 peaks in the park, its common knowledge.
Taking a trip with a guide from Kirk’s Mountain Adventures is handy for people of all hiking levels and skills. Guides at Kirk’s help hikers navigate trails on everything from class 1 to class 5 hikes. “This summer I had a group of women come out who thought they couldn’t hike,” says Marlene. “After customizing a hike based on their needs and pace, the group came back for more the next day. I think people are starting to catch on more to the idea of active vacations,” says Marlene.
Marlene led us on a hike to the sandy shores at Gem Lake, which is a Class 1 hike.
If you have the ambitio for an extreme hike but lack experience, a guide can take you on anything as challenging as climbing Long’s Peak or Shark’s tooth. Both are steeper, longer and require hands and feet to climb as well as portions that are off trail. For anyone questioning if they should hike out of their comfort level, Marlene has some advice: “Healthy risks help you live longer.”
Pull up to Kirks, located right off Elkhorn Ave. (Estes Park’s Main Street) to find an adventure of your own.
https://www.kirksmountainadventures.com/
