Hi Steve! Thanks for the great website. We moved to Colorado Springs from Indiana for my husband's job last year. Ironically, his parents were looking to retire in the area and we had visited many times. We stayed at a friend's cabin near the Collegiate Peaks Golf Course a few times in the 1990s. Now with two small children, we are looking for family friendly hikes in the Buena Vista area. We use jogging strollers for the girls (ages 2 and 3), so nothing too steep or rocky will work for us. Any suggestions??

We're a bit adventurous like you and we have a map of Colorado where we highlight all the places we've visited. We've viewed pics on your site many times while planning roadtrips and outdoor adventures (Rampart Range Rd., the Manitou Incline to name a couple). We are heading over Cottonwood Pass to do some fishing at Taylor Reservoir on Saturday! What a helpful site you've created!

I love encouraging posts like this!

As for family friendly hikes with two small kids ... oh boy, how about the Agnes Vaille Falls trail? That is only 0.5 miles to the waterfall. You could always walk on the railroad grade inside Chalk Creek Canyon as well. Just a couple of ideas.

Agnes Vaille: http://coloradoguy.com/waterfall-sawatch-mountains.htm

Railroad Grade: http://chaffeecounty.net/railroadgrade-trail.htm

Or how about hiking to the first unnamed point south of Cottonwood Pass? There is a trail leading up there.

Here: http://cottonwoodpass.net/continental-divide-trail.htm (Pics aren't the greatest. It was cloudy.)

-Steve



Cottonwood Lake, CO - Altitude 9,552 Feet