The history of the United States’ westward expansion cannot be properly told without stressing Colorado’s importance in the development of railroads throughout the Rocky Mountain region. They transformed the early settlers’ arduous migration from foot, horseback and wagon train, to gleaming steam locomotives and flashy steel rails. They sped the taming of the west through transporting passengers and goods to formerly inhabitable—or at least unreachable—destinations. Not only did railroads bring people into Colorado, they also extracted gold, silver and other valuable commodities out of our mountains.
Once motorized vehicles and aircraft made cross-country travel easier and much faster, the railroads became obsolete. With no trains left to be served, water refill stops along their routes became ghost towns, and the railroad lines themselves were abandoned, left to rust.
Thanks to the Rails to Trails Conservancy, which was founded in 1986, 23,000 miles of abandoned railroad lines have been converted into over 2100 recreational trails across the country. The Rails to Trails Conservancy also helps interested groups and local governments with the transfer of property and the establishment of easements to make railroad beds legally accessible. From a purely economic standpoint, transforming old railroad beds into trails makes sense, since all the hard work has been done in acquiring, clearing and grading the land.
Colorado, a paradise for anyone who enjoys the outdoors, is home to a variety of trails that were previously railroads, many of which are now paved paths in urban areas, including Denver, Pueblo and Colorado Springs. But, to get the full “Colorado” experience, one must head for the mountains. In our mountainous terrain where so many trails are steep and difficult, the trails built on old railroad lines are relatively easy for most people. That’s because trains can only handle a grade of around two percent, and the trails that follow them are nearly flat. But it doesn’t always mean they’re always easy to get to, but once you get to them, they’re usually an easy hike or bike ride.
The area around Buena Vista, Colorado at the foot of the Collegiate Range of the Rocky Mountains, is home to some of my favorite, and most scenic, old railroad bed trails. A little less than six miles east of Buena Vista, and about a half mile up County Road 315 from US 24/285, is the Midland Bike Trail (don’t worry, you can also hike on it), which follows the former Colorado Midland Railway. Operating from 1883 to 1918, it was the first standard gauge railroad to cross the Continental Divide, running from Colorado Springs through Buena Vista, Leadville, and Glenwood Springs, before ending in Grand Junction.
As you hike west on the trail, massive Mt. Princeton emerges as it winds its way towards Buena Vista (imagine the impression this mountain view made on train passengers in the late 19th century!) The trail continues a little over five miles until it meets County Road 304. It is a fairly easy hike, but it does leave the railroad bed in a few spots, skirting around gullies and draws. This 10-mile hike can be done in either direction, but the best mountain views are westbound. If you do not want to hike the full 10 miles, have someone drop you off and arrange for pick up at the other end. Cell phone service is good throughout the hike.
The Denver, South Park and Pacific Railroad was a notable narrow-gauge railroad that ran from Denver through South Park, past Buena Vista and Mt Princeton from 1872 to 1894. Although the railroad is long gone, trails still exist along the old railroad beds. One of the most accessible is the Narrow Gauge Trail, along Chalk Creek just west of Nathrop and the famous Mt Princeton Hot Springs resort. The trail begins at the end of County Road 290 – just off County Road 162, about 1 ¼ miles west of the Mt Princeton Hot Springs – and follows the old railroad bed for a little over two miles. Except for a couple of places where the trail easily traverses over some old rockslides, this hike is a nice amble south of Mt. Princeton. Along the way you’ll see inlaid stone walls once built to hold back the earth from the rail line. Cross over some creeks and then look down the steep embankment towards Chalk Lake. The west end of the trail ends at County Road 162 near Cascade Falls and the U.S. Forest Service’s Cascade Campground. At only about 4.5 miles round trip, this can be done as an out-and-back hike, or you can use a car shuttle.
Further west from the resort, the ghost town of Hancock serves as the starting point for the Alpine Tunnel Trail, one of the region’s most scenic and historic rails-to-trails trips. The trail, which is also a part of both the Continental Divide and Colorado Trails, starts about 5.5 miles up County Road 295, off County Road 162, 11 miles from the Mt Princeton resort, just before the ghost town of St. Elmo. It follows the old railroad bed, offering stunning mountain and valley views.In late summer, there is a vast proliferation of wildflowers along the trail, including the blue columbine.
At two and three quarters miles from the trailhead, the trail splits at the foot of a mountain. A few hundred feet straight ahead is the end of an old railroad tunnel that once ran under the mountain and the Continental Divide. Nearby informational signs at the tunnel tell the story of the construction, use, and subsequent collapse of the tunnel in 1910. However, the real treat on this hike is on the other side of the mountain. Back at the trail intersection, the trail starts a somewhat steep uphill climb. At the top of the mountain, the Continental Divide and Colorado Trails split along a ridge line, off to the right. The Alpine Tunnel Trail continues over the mountain and down the south side where it rejoins the old railroad bed at the other side of the collapsed tunnel. This side of the mountain was once home to a train depot, a telegraph station, maintenance yard, turntable and other buildings. The telegraph station has been restored, and parts of the other buildings remain, including the turntable. Additional signs recount life at the old station with a description of each building. Visiting the Alpine Tunnel station is truly like taking a trip back in time.
The round-trip length of this hike is about eight miles, all of which is above 11,000’ in elevation, so plan on spending the entire day. Although the mile trek (each way) over the tunnel can be somewhat rigorous, it is well worth the effort. Snow tends to linger at this elevation, so it’s best taken from July to September. In years that have heavy snowfall, as was the case in 2019, the trail may not be accessible until August. When dry, the road to Hancock is navigable to all but the most low-slung vehicles, but if there exists lingering snow, it may not be passable until late summer.
