Trails traveled: Davies Pond Trail, Chase Meadow Trail, Historic Cabin Trail, Staunton Ranch Trail, Marmot Passage Trail, Lions Back Trail, Difficulty: Moderate (Blue), Hard (Black)
Out-and-Back, 12.5 miles round-trip, 2,250 feet of elevation gain
Time: 5 hours
Weather: Clear, Sunny

• Fall colors
• Aspen
• Ponderosa Pines
• Wildfire Smoke
• Clear
• Sunny
• Staunton State Park
• Waterfall
• Granite Cliffs

After spending most of the summer doing short, simple hikes that the kiddos could handle, I was itching for something more epic. Over the weekend I went to Staunton State Park and did a long hike.

The thing I love about Staunton State Park is that there are lots of trails, lots of hikes, various types for all skill levels. You can go on a 1-mile hike or a 15-mile hike and still see some beautiful, picturesque sweeping views of mountains, forests, ponds, waterfalls, and towering granite walls. I saw a little bit of all of that on this hike. There were some amazing views. I loved them all.

This was the perfect hike to test my current level and to figure out what training I might need to go to the next level, that is, to push for the next fourteener. I feel like I have one more in me before the snow comes. Hopefully, the fall weather sticks around for a few more weeks and I can get one more in this season.

Most of the wildflowers in the park has given way to some beautiful golden yellow Aspen trees that are turning. There wasn’t much orange out there, but the yellows were so vibrant! Especially with a perfect bluebird sky and the stark contrast of evergreens that makes the yellow shine that much brighter. It was an amazing day in the mountains even if you had to endure some wildfire smoke.