In recent years I’ve come to really enjoy hiking.  While cycling takes up most of my time and energy, hiking has become the low-impact alternative for getting outdoors in the summer.  

For one thing cycling, and especially mountain biking, tends to be hard on the body.  After a few hours in the saddle my hamstrings, back and shoulders all feel tight.  Hiking has the opposite effect.  A few hours hiking and my legs, back and shoulders loosen right up.  Sort of a self-induced massage out in the fresh air.  Plus, the slower speed of hiking allows you to really observe your surroundings.  You notice plants, animals and scenery that you never see flying by on a bike.  You can go farther on a bike but you probably see a lot more on a hike.  It’s very meditative and a nice change of pace.

And there are plenty of great trails for day hikes around here.  Now that the snow has receded above tree line some of the higher altitude trails have begun to open up.  One in particular looked interesting to me, Brown’s Creek.  I had never been there but everything I’d read about it sounded perfect for a 2021 warm up hike.  It’s nearby, an easy six-mile round trip and it provides access to one of the more popular sites in the area, Brown’s Creek Falls.

Brown’s Creek is located in the Sawatch range in the drainage between 13ers Jones Peak and Mt. White.  The Browns Creek trail provides access to the Colorado Trail as well as 14ers Tabeguache Peak and Mt. Antero from the east. 

Our destination for the day.

The climbing starts.

The aspens were just starting to green up.

And the wildflowers were out in force.

Climbing higher, the Sangre de Cristos came into view in the distance.

There’s a reason they call them the Rocky Mountains.

The north face of Jones Peak comes into view.

We reached the Colorado Trail junction.

The trail levels out in a nice pine grove.

Jones Peak looking all rocky and dramatic from a high meadow.

First of two crossings of Brown’s Creek.

The creek was running fast and full, flush with spring snow melt.

Mt. White’s cliffs high above us.

We had been able to hear Brown’s Creek for miles but aside from the two crossings it was mostly out of site from the trail. Then, as we were climbing through a section of thick forest we looked down and saw the word “Falls” with an arrow pointing left carved into an old tree stump. From there it was a short, steep climb up a rocky side trail. We could hear the falls long before we could see them and as we climbed the sound got much louder, indicating something very large, very fast and and very wet just over the rise. We came around a corner and there it was, roaring through a crack in a huge rock outcropping towering over our heads.

Human for scale.

And a short video for fuller effect. Sound on!

After taking our pictures we sat down on a sunny rock at the base of the falls for a quick snack before heading back down. The hike back to the car was uneventful but provided spectacular views of the Arkansas valley that had been at our backs unnoticed the whole time going up.

Have you ever read or heard about something and how amazing it is only to go see it for yourself and been totally underwhelmed? What, the World’s Largest Ball of Twine is just a bunch of string?!?!  I don’t know why, but at the beginning of our hike, I was a little concerned Brown’s Creek Falls was going to be like that.  It is definitely not.  It was indisputably impressive, dare I say, spectacular.  Well worth the hike and the highlight of a great day out.