Maggie’s Hiking Guide
Hiking
Here is a list of local hikes within 15-30 minutes of my house in Fairplay, CO. All are amazing, so check these out if you have time.
Kite Lake is one of my favorite areas to hike. You can access three 14ers from this trail head, Mt. Democrat, Mt. Cameron, and Mt. Lincoln. Beautiful mountain lake, streams and waterfalls.
Take Colorado 9 to Alma. In the middle of town and on the west side of the road, look for a small sign for the road to Kite Lake. Turn here and drive a bit through a residential area.
Continue 6 miles to Kite Lake. The last mile of this road can be a bit more rough, but a good-clearance 2WD should still be able to make it when the road is dry.
There are restrooms and some camping spots at the trailhead. You must pay a $3 fee to park/camp at Kite Lake. If you park below, walk up the road to Kite Lake.
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Kite Lake Trailhead
County Road 8Kite Lake is one of my favorite areas to hike. You can access three 14ers from this trail head, Mt. Democrat, Mt. Cameron, and Mt. Lincoln. Beautiful mountain lake, streams and waterfalls.
Take Colorado 9 to Alma. In the middle of town and on the west side of the road, look for a small sign for the road to Kite Lake. Turn here and drive a bit through a residential area.
Continue 6 miles to Kite Lake. The last mile of this road can be a bit more rough, but a good-clearance 2WD should still be able to make it when the road is dry.
There are restrooms and some camping spots at the trailhead. You must pay a $3 fee to park/camp at Kite Lake. If you park below, walk up the road to Kite Lake.
A backcountry gem, located just minutes from Fairplay, CO. We’ve been hiking and snowshoeing on this trail, super easy and great for little kids. There is about a 1.5 mile loop, which is family friendly.
Aspens in the fall, lush green summers with a meandering creek, surrounded by mountain peaks and trails everywhere make this a perfect getaway.
From Hwy 285: turn onto Hwy 9 into the town of Fairplay. Turn right on 4th Street, Drive to the end of the road. Turn left, which is Bogue St. Go 2.3 miles until you see the Beaver Creek sign. Turn right, leads you into a small parking area. Your here. If the gate is open you can drive in.
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Beaver Creek Trail
A backcountry gem, located just minutes from Fairplay, CO. We’ve been hiking and snowshoeing on this trail, super easy and great for little kids. There is about a 1.5 mile loop, which is family friendly.
Aspens in the fall, lush green summers with a meandering creek, surrounded by mountain peaks and trails everywhere make this a perfect getaway.
From Hwy 285: turn onto Hwy 9 into the town of Fairplay. Turn right on 4th Street, Drive to the end of the road. Turn left, which is Bogue St. Go 2.3 miles until you see the Beaver Creek sign. Turn right, leads you into a small parking area. Your here. If the gate is open you can drive in.
Limber Grove Trail is a 3.5 mile out and back trail located near Fairplay, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate.
What is amazing is that you get to see some of the limber and bristlecone pine trees that some are over a 1,000 yrs old.
The trail is primarily used for hiking and trail running and is best used from June until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
We came from the town of Fairplay and took Highway 285 South 1.3 miles to County Road 18. Turn here and go west about 2 miles to the Forest Boundary. Here the road becomes Forest Developed Road 182. Continue another 7 miles to Limber Grove Trailhead.
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Limber Grove Trail
984-3898 4 Mile Creek RdLimber Grove Trail is a 3.5 mile out and back trail located near Fairplay, Colorado that features beautiful wild flowers and is rated as moderate.
What is amazing is that you get to see some of the limber and bristlecone pine trees that some are over a 1,000 yrs old.
The trail is primarily used for hiking and trail running and is best used from June until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.
We came from the town of Fairplay and took Highway 285 South 1.3 miles to County Road 18. Turn here and go west about 2 miles to the Forest Boundary. Here the road becomes Forest Developed Road 182. Continue another 7 miles to Limber Grove Trailhead.
See the old Leavick mine and the 14er Mt. Sherman.
From Fairplay, drive just over a mile south on U.S. 285 and turn right onto County Road 18. Drive 10 miles to a large parking area at 11,250'. This is the Leavick site. There is a large mine building on the right before the parking area. The road starts to get rough after this point but passenger cars can slowly drive another 1.5 miles before the road gets harsh. There are a couple of small pull-offs between 11,700' and 11,900' and more parking before a gate near 12,000'. The gate is usually closed. In winter, the road is usually plowed only to 11,100' which is one mile below the Leavick site.
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Fourmile Creek Trailhead
9718 4 Mile Creek RdSee the old Leavick mine and the 14er Mt. Sherman.
From Fairplay, drive just over a mile south on U.S. 285 and turn right onto County Road 18. Drive 10 miles to a large parking area at 11,250'. This is the Leavick site. There is a large mine building on the right before the parking area. The road starts to get rough after this point but passenger cars can slowly drive another 1.5 miles before the road gets harsh. There are a couple of small pull-offs between 11,700' and 11,900' and more parking before a gate near 12,000'. The gate is usually closed. In winter, the road is usually plowed only to 11,100' which is one mile below the Leavick site.
This is a great place for fishing, hiking, and off-roading. It has a little bit of everything. Plus it is right outside of Alma. You can hike and see waterfalls, plus the Magnolia Mill is a must see and is less than a 10 minute hike to.
If coming north from Fairplay on SH 9, drive north to Alma and just over 5 miles from the center of town, turn left (west) onto CR 4.
Follow CR 4 as it heads downhill toward the scenic Montgomery Reservoir. Avoid making any turnoffs either left or right and continue down to the north side of the reservoir. Just before the dam, veer right when the road forks. The left fork goes down to the lake. The right fork will take you around to the west end of the lake.
Stock 4WD and many crossovers should be able to continue. Continue to a trail head parking area at roads' end. If in a passenger vehicle, do not attempt to take the 4WD drive road that turns off to the right and heads up to the Magnolia Mill.
Continuing up the 4WD road brings one immediately to a difficult, rock-slab climb with a difficult 2 -3 foot step. If you continue up this 4WD trail, you will get to Wheeler Lake.
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Montgomery Reservoir
This is a great place for fishing, hiking, and off-roading. It has a little bit of everything. Plus it is right outside of Alma. You can hike and see waterfalls, plus the Magnolia Mill is a must see and is less than a 10 minute hike to.
If coming north from Fairplay on SH 9, drive north to Alma and just over 5 miles from the center of town, turn left (west) onto CR 4.
Follow CR 4 as it heads downhill toward the scenic Montgomery Reservoir. Avoid making any turnoffs either left or right and continue down to the north side of the reservoir. Just before the dam, veer right when the road forks. The left fork goes down to the lake. The right fork will take you around to the west end of the lake.
Stock 4WD and many crossovers should be able to continue. Continue to a trail head parking area at roads' end. If in a passenger vehicle, do not attempt to take the 4WD drive road that turns off to the right and heads up to the Magnolia Mill.
Continuing up the 4WD road brings one immediately to a difficult, rock-slab climb with a difficult 2 -3 foot step. If you continue up this 4WD trail, you will get to Wheeler Lake.
This is a beautiful area a minute from our house. You can walk there if you want.
Also, it has some of the best fishing. I have three small kids and we go to the Fairplay beach to hike, fish, pan for gold and have campfires. They have day camping spots with fire pits, so in the evenings we will cook hot dogs and s'mores.
You can drive down to the picnic tables, so it is very easy to get to. From the house, take a left on Platte Drive. You will see the road down to the beach in less than a mile.
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Fairplay Beach
This is a beautiful area a minute from our house. You can walk there if you want.
Also, it has some of the best fishing. I have three small kids and we go to the Fairplay beach to hike, fish, pan for gold and have campfires. They have day camping spots with fire pits, so in the evenings we will cook hot dogs and s'mores.
You can drive down to the picnic tables, so it is very easy to get to. From the house, take a left on Platte Drive. You will see the road down to the beach in less than a mile.