The Gore Range rises dramatically above the ski town of Vail, a rugged wilderness with so many 13,000-foot peaks that most don’t have proper names, just letters. This trail is shorter than some of the others that penetrate the range from the east side of Vail, but it’s no less steep. Hikers gain 2,180 feet of elevation in 3.2 miles. From the trailhead on Columbine Drive, the trail climbs steeply out of the Vail Valley, passing beaver ponds, remains of old mining structures and a waterfall, Bighorn Falls. The trail levels out as it enters a broad meadow with great views of the jagged, intimidating peaks of the Gores. It ends at an old cabin. Catch your breath, enjoy the scenery and return the way you came.
Pro Tips
Recommended season(s): Mid-summer – late fall.
–R. Scott Rappold
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