Late Fall Hikes Near Steamboat Springs

Finding Home in The Mountains

Anywhere in the mountains always has that nostalgic feeling of home. The feeling you get when you finally enter the jagged mountains on I70 is incomparable to any other excitement that I have experienced when traveling. The rush of an adventure always courses through my veins when we hit the road. I look at the forest of trees and small mountain towns that are whizzing by my window, with so much wonder buzzing in my head. I may be familiar with rolling through these mountains throughout my entire life but there is always a new exciting place to see. And even when you have been one place a dozen times, there is always another hidden gem on the other side of the mountain. There is no way you can possibly see it all in one lifetime. But I want to see as much of it as I can. Colorado is one of the greatest places for adventurous spirits. It only gets boring when you stop living the adventure.

The other week we headed off in a new direction. To a town, I have never been to before, Steamboat Springs. It was a bit of a spur of the moment plan, the best kind. I went in not knowing much about Steamboat. I didn’t have any expectations, I just let the town be as it is. We were there for a week and after a week it had already felt like home. It was comfortable, but exciting at the same time. We got into an easy rhythm for the week we stayed there. Became regulars in many spots while we were there. If we would have been there a few days longer the whole town would have felt like family. I loved how welcoming everyone was. It seemed like one of the best communities to be apart of in Colorado.

Off Season In Steamboat

The first week of November in Steamboat isn’t exactly the time of year everyone is wanting to see the mountains in Colorado. It is typically right after the first snowstorm. Which means the leaves are gone. The trails are mud. And ski season is still a few weeks away. The mountain towns turn into ghost towns.

But there is something to see even without all the seasonal cliches of being in the mountains in Colorado. Most of the hikes near Steamboat Springs are still open during this time. The trails might be a little muddy, snowy, or icy but that shouldn’t hold anyone back. The bright autumn hues have turned to muted tones, but that doesn’t mean that hitting the trail is any less beautiful. It is actually amazing to see nature fall into a state of rest before the winter comes. The leaves have fallen and the wildflowers have died back into the soil to replenish the trees and plants for a new year. Seeing nature in this state makes you realize how important it is to follow nature’s rhythms. By resting and replenishing yourself during the colder months.

Peace and Quiet On The Muddy Trails

The hikes near Steamboat Springs during the offseason are quiet. You hardly even see a chipmunk scurry at your feet. The peaceful silence envelops your entire being. The essence of pine trees that tickle your nose starts to feed your joy for this moment of connectedness. The sound of the creek flowing through the ice gives you the kind of peace that you have been looking for. You realize how healing the open land that surround you is. With no obstruction of man blocking your view. Only the defoliated trees, wild bushes, icy rivers, birds, and the open sky are in view. This connectedness is what you realize you have been missing all along. That is why we hunger to chase the waterfalls. Because we are so disconnected from the natural world. We forget about its power. Yet we yearn for magic to truly exist. We are muggles that have seen a flying car but turn the other way. To distracted by our mundane lives and black screens to realize the magic that this world holds.

Some of the Hikes Near Steamboat Springs

Some of the trails that we liked in Steamboat Springs was Mad Creek Trail, Spring Creek Pond, Fish Creek Falls to Long Lake, and the Rotary Trail. All of these places were easy to moderate even with a little snow on the trails. They also all have something different to offer during the off-season. I really can’t wait to get another chance to wander more of the hikes near Steamboat Springs during the summertime. There are many of them that I want to come back for.