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Hike and Flight: St. Mary’s Glacier in Idaho Springs

3/3/2022

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By John Roberts
The Hike: St. Mary's Glacier in the Arapaho National Forest 
The Flight: Craft ciders at Clear Creek Cidery & Eatery in Idaho Springs 
St. Mary's Glacier is a signature day hike in Colorado and a wonderful outing for both visitors and residents in the state. The trailhead is located at: St. Mary's Glacier Trailhead, St. Mary's Drive, Idaho Springs. This is located just over an hour from Denver and up a switchback road to a well-marked parking lot just before that trailhead, which begins at 10,400 feet in elevation. 
There is a $5 parking fee (self-pay in a provided envelope and mail slot). The route climbs to just past 11,000 feet once you reach the glacier. St. Mary's Glacier might not be technically a glacier these days as it is not flowing under its own weight any more. Instead, it's a semi-permanent ice field and still an impressive sight once you get there. I loved scaling the steep hill to the ice field and soaking in the 360-degree views on a sunny day when I first hiked it on March 1, 2022. 
The hike is about 2.5 miles out and back. The first scenic location is at 1 mile into the hike at St. Mary's Lake. This is a great spot to rest because the route is a steep uphill at the start until you get to the lake.  
This is a wonderful place for a picnic, and you can even go in for a swim during warmer months. A path to the right of the lake brings you around to the hill that you climb to get to the ice field.  
You can cross-country ski, enjoy snowshoeing and even go sledding or snowboarding down from the ice field. 
This hike is combined well with a lunch at flight at Clear Creek Cidery & Eatery, located about 20 minutes away in the historic town of Idaho Springs. Clear Creek has a nice menu filled with comfort foods, including a great cheeseburger. You can choose from about nine ciders on tap to build a flight. 
I had the Lavender Lemonade, Agave Peach, Cherry Glider and Alma (apples and honey).
Check out our Colorado Craft Brewery Guide to find more great craft beer spots around the state.

Thanks for reading.
Happy hiking and sipping!
JR
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St. Mary's Lake
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A view from the glacier.
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My lunch and flight at Clear Creek Cidery & Eatery.
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Colorado Hiking Guide: Kruger Rock Trail Near Estes Park

12/8/2020

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By John Roberts
After just shy of two miles of scenic hiking through a grassland and into lightly forested areas, with a few heart-pumping stretches along the way, we scramble through a fun keyhole to pop out on top of Kruger Rock.
The bald summit offers some of the most beautiful views you can imagine -- the vistas cover 360 degrees, and we gasp at our neighbors, the nearby mountain peaks, quiet valleys and Lake Estes.
It feels as if we are on top of the world.
Many places in Colorado will give you that euphoria, and we've enjoyed several such hikes over the decades. But Kruger Rock offers the best payoff for not too much investment.
That is, you can easily complete this fantastic hike in about three hours without totally trashing your feet and legs. Colleen and I were joined by Ryan and Kelly of Watch Us Wander on the hike in late-November. We caught a perfectly sunny and mild day for our outing. The weather was crisp and cool but we warmed up fine with just a couple light layers on.
Kruger Rock Trail in one of several trails available in Hermit Park Open Space, which is located just outside of Estes Park and near Lyons, about a 90-minute drive northwest from Denver.
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Kruger Rock Trail 
Fee: $9 per car to enter Hermit Park Open Space 
Distance/Type: 3.8 mile out and back; 1.9 miles one way. 
Time: 2:30 to 3 hours roundtrip 
Elevation: Trailhead starts at 8,440 feet, and you hike to a top elevation of 9,350 feet 
Tips: Wear layers, pack plenty of water and binoculars, as well as snacks for along the way and a lunch to have at the top. (There is plenty of space to spread out and sit down on the bare rocks up top.) Have fun!

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We started on the trail around 8:30 a.m. and were among the few people heading up the mountain. After our lunch and during our descent, we noticed dozens of more hikers had arrived. So, it's best to get out as soon after sunrise to have the most peaceful experience and all the views to yourself. The views were plentiful and the highlight of the hike.
Once you make your way up the trail toward the base of the ascent, you will have to take regular stops. Perhaps to catch your breath every now and then from the incline. But mostly because you will want to look out over Estes Park and the stunning scene that is painted by the trees, mountains, rocks and Lake Estes as you gaze to the north.
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Our morning was quite gorgeous, with blue skies interrupted by billowy clouds and accented by plentiful sunshine. We made it up in less than two hours, even with several photo stops. Then, it was time to crush our sandwiches and chips while soaking in the epic panorama.
After about 20 minutes up top, we noticed that several more people were starting to make their way to our little slice of heaven. We packed up, dropped back down through the keyhole and made the return descent.
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It is truly a spectacular little day hike close to Denver. I hope you get to try it out. We'll definitely be back with more friends to share another great experience.

Thanks for reading, and happy hiking!
JR
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