Eleven Mile Canyon Recreation Area is located below the dam of the Eleven Mile Reservoir near Lake George off of Highway 24 in Colorado. The narrow, dirt road traversing the canyon used to be the old Colorado Midland Railroad bed before the dam and reservoir were constructed. The canyon cuts through the plane holding the South Platte river in its rocky bottom.
The canyon is located entirely within the Pike National Forest in central Colorado. The forest covers approximately 1,106,604 acres across the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains in Colorado.
It was officially established as a national forest on July 1, 1908.
It’s managed by the U.S. Forest Service.
This particular place was one of the highlights of my trip out west. I had read about the Eleven Mile Canyon and I was really excited to hike there.
It was a beautiful day in Colorado on the day that I hiked at this place. I made my way to the start of the canyon and started driving up the old road. There were plenty of spots along the old road to park and plenty of trails to hike. The scenery was beautiful. Ponderosa Pines were the dominant trees found along the canyon floor and along the banks of the South Platte river.
As I went up in elevation, Douglas Fir trees were more prominent. The trees mixed with the large boulders and the sage bushes and wildflowers to make for a very scenic hike.
Every time I drove higher in elevation, the views of the mountains around me became more scenic. I was definitely in my element.
I spent some time exploring the area and taking photos. I then decided to go back down to the day use area.
There I paid a small fee and got on a trail that followed the South Platte river back to where it came down through the mountains.
The water was sparkling and clean. As it came down tumbling down over the large boulders of the mountain, it stirred up white water, continuing downward, falling into the waiting pool of water below.
I was surrounded on three sides by mountains.
I found a seat on a boulder for a while and just took in the sights.
It was a picture perfect day and one that I would not forget for a long time.
There is so much more about this place that I have time to even write about. There are three historic tunnels that’s a must to drive through. There’s the Eleven Mile reservoir, fishing, mountain bike trails, and much more. It’s definitely worth a visit.
To get to this place: From Lake George, Colorado, at US 24, take County Road 96 South. After two miles, veer right at the fork to stay on 96.
A quote for your week: “The last word always belongs to the mountain.” —Anatoli Boukreev – Russian-Kazakh Mountaineer – 1958-1997
Until the next trail,
Susan Anderson is a resident of Owen County who enjoys hiking and backpacking and writes a weekly column about her experiences. Readers can reach her via email at saanders@hotmail.com or on Instagram @farsideoftheedge.
This article originally appeared on Evening World: Much to experience at Eleven Mile Canyon in Colorado
Reporting by Susan Anderson, For the Evening World / Evening World
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Susan Anderson, For the Evening World | USA TODAY Network
