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Tomer's Trails

by Tomers_Trails from FOX 31 News

Last Post 132 days, 10 hours Ago


We went to a great, family friendly place for hiking on Tuesday, May 6, 2008.

We did live reports from Mount Falcon Park in Jefferson County all during Good Day Colorado. Mount Falcon Park is just outside of Morrison.

One of the main trails, the Castle Trail, will take you on a 3.8 mile hike and up to an elevation of 8,000 + feet. What a view you can get from up there!

You can see downtown Denver and out to the Eastern Plains. If you look west, you can get a spectacular view of Mt. Evans. Look north, and you'll see some of the peaks that mark Rocky Mountain National Park.




Mount Falcon Park Map
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Chris_Tomer read my blog view my photos
May 8, 2008 | 7:54 AM

Here's more information on Mount Falcon Open Space:

Where? Mount Falcon Park, Jefferson County



“Expansive views to the West, to Red Rocks, to Denver, and to the Eastern Plains.”



Accessible from either of two trailheads. 1) Morrison, CO of Hwy-8 or 2) Parmalee Gulch Road off Hwy-285.

East trailhead is roughly 30 minutes from Downtown Denver; West trailhead is roughly 45 minutes from Downtown Denver.



Trails Available:



Castle Trail: 3.8 Miles, Longest Trail that runs from East Trailhead to West Trailhead, Steep on East Side.

Turkey Trot Trail: 1.7 Miles, Starts at East Trailhead, Strenuous, Large Elevation Gain, Hiker-Only Trail

Meadow Trail: 0.8 Miles, Wide Open Meadow, Connects to Castle Trail

Devil’s Elbow Trail: 1.1 Miles, Forested, Stays cooler in Summer

Tower Trail: 0.6 Miles, Leads to an old Fire Watch Tower

kaeb40
May 8, 2008 | 11:05 AM

I love this type of information! We're new to Colorado and we love to hike!
Are dogs allowed on leash?

Kae

Chris_Tomer read my blog view my photos
May 8, 2008 | 11:22 AM

Hi Kae:

Yes, absolutely - dogs are allowed but must be on-leash.

I'll be featuring a different local trail each Tuesday through the month of May. Most will be family friendly and within one hour of drive time.

-Chris

Scribe2 read my blog view my photos
May 10, 2008 | 12:54 PM

This is a great park I've used for a couple of decades now. When my sons were small, I'd load them and a picnic in the car and go to the west trailhead. We'd hike in for a picnic in the meadow, then mosey over to the castle. It was a thrill for them and a nice break from the house for me. As they got older, we'd expand that hike to go down around the Parmalee Loop (Meadows Trail) with their bikes although I'd usually end up carrying one bike or the other on the uphill part of the loop. It's really one of the greatest close-in mountain parks. Really be cautioned about the east side entry: it's a beautiful hike from arid meadow to green woods, but is a strenuous uphill hike not for toddlers or someone who's out of shape and hasn't hiked for a while, especially in hot weather. The east side of the trail gets very hot and one can easily become dehydrated, so take at least two quarts of water per person on a warm day. The weather also changes quickly, so be sure to pack a sweatshirt and rain poncho. The Parmalee Loop (Meadows Trail) is also strenuous in parts and there is no shelter from sun or storm on most of it so do not start this trail at all if there is any chance of lightning. There used to be a forest where the big trails converge - a lightning strike burned it back in the late 80s or early 90s.

Bammers_J read my blog view my photos
May 17, 2008 | 10:21 PM

Great Idea! I will look into this.

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Tomers_Trails

Hi, I'm FOX 31 Meteorologist Chris Tomer and welcome to my new blog dedicated to hiking in the Colorado Rockies. We hope you'll find this to be a valuable resource guide for enjoying adventures on trails in, around, and not far from metro Denver. If you're interested in contributing to this blog, send me an email at chris.tomer@foxtv.com. Upload photos from your trek at http://myoutdoorscolorado
.com/photogallery/. We might even use them on TV!

Member Since: 4/29/2008