Hiking is a way to get some great exercise, do some forest bathing, and enjoy nature. I would hike almost every day if I could. Unfortunately, I have to work! I visit Steamboat Springs, Colorado frequently. Of course, there are several places not far from the city that I hike regularly when I go. Hahns Peak is one of them. It is a fairly easy 3-4 hour outing that provides big payoffs at the end.
Hahns Peak Hiking Area
A Few Facts
Hahns Peak is 10744 feet tall. It is the 1855th highest summit in Colorado. The peak is bald, which in hiking terms means that it is a scree field. Care should be taken when hiking taller, bald peaks in the summer to avoid thunderstorms. Lightning is especially dangerous on high peaks.
The peak is named for a gold miner named Joseph Hahn who came to Colorado with two companions William Doyle and George Wray back in the 1860s. A fire tower sits at the top. It no longer functions as a fire tower, but it is a state historical site.
Parking Area
The Hike
The actual hike is not long. Depending on where you end up parking, it is about a 3-4 mile out and back. The elevation gain is around 1400 feet. Off road vehicles also use parts of this area, so the roads leading in aren’t always exactly the same as the map. There are multiple access points. Because the peak sits alone, you really cannot get lost. Just park and start up a trail.
Forest Trail
Views from Hahns Peak
When you reach the top, the views are spectacular. Usually to get amazing views you have to hike a long way, but not here. This is a gift for people who want to see the vastness of Colorado, but who don’t want to hike miles and miles into some remote wilderness area.
Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest
Much of what you see is the Medicine Bow-Routt National Forest which extends from Colorado to Wyoming. Both forests are over 1 million acres for a total of about 22 million acres. The Medicine Bow section was named after Native American tribes that used mountain mahogany to build bows and perform rituals to cure diseases.
Epic Views
Established in 1905 by President Roosevelt, the Routt National Forest includes all or part of 10 wilderness areas and several spectacular rivers. The two were combined by the Forest Service in 1995 to improve management.
References
Personal Experience