Hiking

If you want to go into Vail - a fun option is to take the gondola up to the top of the Mountain - recommend going to Lionshead and taking Eagle Bahn up! (Lift tickets will be around $30 unless you have an epic pass)

From there we reocmmend these hikes - Vail Ridge Route or The Grand Traverse – In Vail, take the Eagle Bahn gondola (free for those with an Epic Pass) from Lionshead Village to the Eagles Nest. In late July/early August, the Grand Traverse is especially good for wildflowers. You can access either of these trails at the top. Both have minimal elevation gain and offer great views of Vail and the Holy Cross Wilderness.

Other hiking options below:

-June Creek Trail (In Edwards) – June Creek is a great ‘acclimation’ hike for anyone coming from lower elevation. The trail is a 4-mile out-and-back that has great views of Beaver Creek and west towards Wolcott. Parking is available at the trailhead along Singletree Road. Take the June Creek Trail .5 miles to the Knob Creek Trail on the left side for the views!

-East Lake Creek (In Edwards) – East Lake Creek is our favorite local hike! The trail is a 5-mile out and back that takes you through some beautiful Aspen and Pine forests into the White River National Forest. There is about 1,000 feet of steady elevation gain throughout the hike. It’s more challenging than June Creek, but still doable for those coming from sea-level!

-West Lake Creek (In Edwards) - This trail is a jeep trail and is a gradual uphill hike. You pass through aspen forests, meadows and pine forests depending on how far up you go. We typically hike 4-5 miles total. It's an up and back trail, so you decide how far up you want to go. We recommend making it up at least 1.5 miles, there are some really pretty meadow views starting at that point.

Another fun option is to go to Minturn - a really cute town about 12 minutes from Edwards.

-Maloit Park Trail - This hike has amazing views and you can go for as for as you'd like. There's a good overlook at about 1.5 up, so recommend going at least that far! It's easy to get to and shouldn't be too crowded. Recommend exploring/walking around Minturn afterwards! If you go on Saturday, Minturn has a great farmer's market that would be a fun activity as well.

-The Reverse Minturn Mile (Minturn) - This is a pretty challenging hike with around 1,800ft in elevation and around 4 miles. It starts in Minturn (about 10 minutes from Edwards). It's a fun hike with a beautiful mix of terrain, from pine forests to meadows to an aspen forest and tons of wildflowers -- you see it all with this hike! The best part is you hike up to the top of Eagle Bahn gondola and take the gondola down to Lionshead.

There are a bunch of beautiful hikes in Vail Pass - it's about a 35-40 min drive from Edwards, so just prepare that into your travels. Also recommend going on the early side to avoid crowds and heat! (i.e. start the hike by 9am)

-Shrine Pass Ridge Trail (Vail Pass) - This is a moderately challenging hike that's about 6 miles total with 1,000 elevation gain. Should take 2-3 hours. You get beautiful 360 views of the mountain ranges!

-Uneva Peak (Vail Pass) – The hike where we got engaged! This is the most challenging of our recommended hikes given the 2,000 feet of elevation gain, but the reward is worth it! This 6-mile out-and-back trail takes you above Vail Pass to a 360-degree view of Eagle and Summit Counties. Only recommend this hike if you are full acclimated to the elevation. :)

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