3 Roosevelt
I was completely unprepared for the beauty of lesser-known Hessie Trail, an enchanting stroll through a lush green forest that put me in mind of a Disney movie. The sun-dappled, tree-rooted trail, lined with shade-loving wildfl owers and woodland plants, follows Jasper Creek, which provides a musical accom- paniment. This trail leads to a small meadow carpeted in blooms, and to a tall stand
of aspen that surround the cabins of the old Hessie town site. Depending on your pace, this tranquil walk takes no more than 30 minutes. If the spring has not been too cold or snowy, expect to fi nd columbine here in mid June. Hessie Trail is in the Indian Peak Wilderness of the Roosevelt National
Forest. Take County Road 119 west out of Boulder (stopping of course for a few shots of the spectacular Boulder Falls on the right) to the charming town of Nederland. Take 72 to Eldora Road through the historical village of Eldora, and park at the marked trailhead.
4 Pike
Columbines seen along Hessie Trail near Eldora.
On Highway 9 from Alma toward Breckenridge, just before you rise above timberline, you’ll see columbine among the scrub brush along the road. Mount Bross and Mount Cameron will be the backdrop to a lush and lovely valley of wildfl owers. Further up the road, where the scrub becomes thicker, a short walk leads to a gorgeous nesting of paint brush and columbine.
At about 12,200 feet, well above timberline and in the alpine tundra, shamelessly showing off was the ever beautiful Colorado state fl ower.
Continue on with the peak of Mount Democrat to Kite Lake, a haven for
tiny alpine wildfl owers. We even spotted small wild mushrooms. When you return to Alma, stop and say hello to the friendly folks at the “Almart,” where they have everything from groceries to quality sportswear. Turn left onto Buckskin Road (County Road 8), and
follow it a short way until you see a sign for the Buckskin Cemetery on the right. In my mind, there is something exceptionally beautiful about columbine growing amid the old tombstones of the miners and their families that settled this region so long ago. Back on County Road 8, look for the sign for Windy Ridge. Here stand the remarkable and ancient bristlecone pine trees bent for countless years against the wind. Again on County Road 8, you will pass by remnants of old mines once fi lled with activity and now being slowly reclaimed by nature.
5 White River
Shrine Pass, near Vail, provides a beautiful backdrop for Colorado’s state fl ower.
36 EnCompass May/June 2012
While motoring west on I-70 from Silverthorne toward Vail, take Exit 190. Cross over the highway, turn right and head for Shrine Pass. Travel along this well- maintained gravel road about two miles to the Shrine Mountain trailhead. The well-marked trail will take you
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