Best Hiking Trails in Crested Butte, The Scenic Teocalli Ridge Loop

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Crested Butte in the summer is one of the best places to explore different hiking trails. The area has everything from short scenic paths to ten mile plus day hikes with elevation gain that will take you to the top of some awesome overlook areas such as TeoCalli Ridge!. After getting a recommendation from a friend on this hike last minute, I decided to go for it. It wasn’t far from town, so I grabbed breakfast at a local bagel shop in town and then made my way towards the trailhead.

In this post I’ll be going over parking, how to get to the trailhead, details, best time of year to hike it, what makes this trail worth it, and what to expect!

How to get to the trailhead and where should we park

The trailhead is a little over 20 minutes from downtown Crested Butte and you want to end up on Brush Creek Road. You’ll Pass the Brush Creek Trailhead on the left, a more popular hiking destination and the road will turn into Forest Service-7738. These are dirt roads in which you’ll pass a farm and cattle ranch on the way to the trailhead! AWD is helpful, but not required to drive this road. If you do plan on camping in the area, you will need to have a high clearance vehicle with 4 X 4 to make it up the road to designated campsites FYI.

Distance from town: 8 Miles

Coordinates: 38.89614, -106.88932

For parking there will be a few spots at the start of the hike, however if you stay right on the service road and keep driving, you’ll come up on a much bigger parking lot. This is where the hike actually ends if you do the entire loop.

Where does the trail begin and how long is the hike

The trail will start on the dirt road, Forest Service-7738 essentially right where the map and trail signage are. This hike is going to be longer and a bit more challenging then some of the other more popular hikes in Crested Butte, so make sure to plan accordingly! It took me over 6 hours to complete with breaks and shooting photos along the way.

There’s also going to be some elevation gain on this trail, so be prepared to hike up hill a bit for the first half of the hike! It will be worth it though, the views on this hike are incredible on the first half of the trail. Below are some quick trail stas.

Trail type: Loop

Elevation Gain: 2,303:

Distance: 10.9 miles

Dogs Allowed: Yep, this is a more remote hike so if you plan on hiking without a leash, just keep in mind there is wildlife in the area such as moose, bears, and mountain lions.

What should we expect

This hike isn’t easy by any means so if you’re looking for something a little more chill check out the Snodgrass Trail or Lupine trail closer to town. Really, the challenging part is the distance. You’re hiking close to 11 Miles, so take breaks, drink lots of water, pack snacks and just enjoy the trail because it is a good one! Expect the views to be pretty amazing, especially when you get up on the ridge line.

What should we pack

Depends on the time of year, but I listed some items that I highly recommend

• Hiking Boots- You can get these at REI or your local outdoor

• Rain Jacket- Always pack one of these, especially on longer hikes!

• Outdoor Clothing- Try to stay away from anything cotton and stick to performance type clothing when hiking. Outdoor specific brands to look into would be
  Fjallraven, Patagonia, and The North Face.

• Sunscreen- Apply this ahead of time or keep a sunstick on you to reapply throughout the hike if necessary.

• Extra Water

Best time of the summer for Wildflowers

I hiked this trail the second week of July and I feel like that was the last great week of catching the Wildflowers. However, it depends on the year and the start of summer was extremely dry. On average the flowers start to bloom in June and peak at the end of June through early July.

What are some trail details

You’ll start right next to the trailhead sign which is a clockwise route to take. Take in the views as you make your way along the trail. Once at the top of the Forest Service Road, you will have to cross part of the river. This is where having a pre-downloaded map on AllTrails will be helpful. You can either take your shoes/socks off or just trek through the river with your hiking boots on.

Once your across the river, the trail will take you through a small patch of Aspen Trees. This part of the trail is pretty flat, so try to enjoy it!

Eventually you will arrive at the trail sign Teocalli Mountain TR no. 554. The elevation gain starts to kicks in here and you will be hiking across the Ridge with Teocalli Mountain to the left!

The end of Teocalli ridge is one of the best views on the hike in my opinion, so grab a few pictures and take in the view. It overlooks the valley area along with the streams and river below.

The second half of the hike will be mostly through pine trees with no views until you get to almost the end of the hike. As you descend your way down through Aspen trees, be cautious of Mountain Bikers and Dirt Bike Riders! This trail is great for either of those activities.

The end of the hike is nice when it’s wildflower season as you will run into an entire mountainside full of them. As you make your way back to the parking lot, you will have to cross the river one last time to stay on trail.

When is the best time of year to hike Teocalli Ridge

This trail is good, depending on snowfall, from Mid May through October with the best times being early July for Wildflowers and Late September for the Fall colors.

You’ll probably feel pretty accomplished after hiking this trail so pat yourself on the back if you hiked the entire trail. Looking for other outdoor recreation in Colorado? Check out the small town of Buena Vista, with rafting, hiking, and even River Surfing. It is one of my favorite places in Colorado to explore.

Colorado Mountain Towns near Denver, A day trip to Silver Plume

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One thing that makes Colorado unique is the number of historic mountain towns through out the state. Some more popular than others such as Crested Butte, Telluride, and Breckenridge. However, there’s still a number of hidden gem towns with outdoor recreation and cool history. One being the very small town of Silver Plume.

Only dirt roads with one main street, this is one of the smallest towns I’ve been to in Colorado. However, there’s a really cool coffee shop, bar, and hike worth experiencing that makes this town worth spending an afternoon at. With that being said, lets get into it!

Where is Silver Plume

About an Hour West of Denver and 30 minutes East of Silverthorne, Silver Plume is right next to Georgetown off of i70.

What should we do

Grab Coffee at Plume Coffee Bar

Located in the center of town the Plume Coffee Bar is a great place to check out before you do some exploring. Open everyday except Tuesdays, this coffee shop will have baked goods as well as breakfast burritos and a full craft coffee menu. Pretty cool spot in a historic building that has a welcoming, home like feeling.

Hike the 7:30 Mine Trail

A somewhat challenging trail, leave your car parked in town and then walk up Silver Street until you see the trailhead. Although the trail has some elevation gain the views at the top are pretty amazing mixed with historic mines along the way and views of the downtown area. The only downside is the highway is right there, however once you get about halfway I felt like the noise starts to disappear. Towards the top will be Griffin Memorial. Griffin was a musician in the Mid 1800’s who came to Silver Plume for mining. He ended up striking big calling the mine 7:30 where silver and gold were prevalent. He ended up taking his life which is what the memorial at the top of this hike is for.

Trail Stats

3.6 Miles out and Back

1,210 feet of elevation gain

I probably wouldn’t take a pet on this trail due to it being narrow in areas on the trail

As you make your way up to the Griffin Memorial, please note that parts of the trail become narrow, with some drop offs. If you hike past Griffin Memorial there will be a waterfall at the very top of the hike! If you’re scared of heights I would be very careful hiking out to the Griffin Memorial. It is essentially an island separate from the main trail that you have to hike down to.

If you stay left when hiking down to it, you will be just fine. I’m somewhat scared of heights and was able to overcome the fear and hike out to the Memorial. The views are definitely worth it, especially if you go in the evening.

What should we pack?

This trail does have some rockier areas, so I would recommend a good pair of hiking boots. Other items that you’ll need are a rain jacket (just in case of bad weather), hiking pants or shorts, and hiking socks. Outdoor gear brands that I really like for hiking are Fjallraven, Smartwool (socks), Patagonia, Burton, Black Diamond and LaSportiva (hiking Boots). Depending on the time of year that you go a lightweight jacket or sweatshirt would also be recommended.

Stop in at Bread Bar for a drink (open Fri/Sat/Sunday only)

If you end up hiking this trail on the weekend, go to Bread at the end of town for a drink. Probably one of the coolest bars I’ve been to. They have a back patio with board games and it’s just a chill vibe all around. Amazing music playlist too. Sometimes there’s a food truck on the side of the building with authentic Mexican burritos and tacos. They’re open until 10 on Fridays and Saturdays, then Close at 6pm on Sundays.

Other Activities

Georgetown Train Loop

If you would like to do something other then hiking look into the Georgetown Loop Railroad and Museum. The boarding area starts in Georgetown (the next town over) then Loops through Silver Plume. Coach cars are wheel chair accessible and in the winter months 1st class cars are available for an upgraded price.

The train will take you through the scenic area of Clear Creek Valley, over the Devils Gate Bridge, and through the Mountains. You can actually do a Mine Tour when the taking the train ride you just have to buy a separate ticket for the tour. Overall the train loop was a little over an hour and if you do the mine tour it adds and extra hour to the train ride. Honestly a pretty fun activity that allows you to spend time outdoors in the Colorado Mountains. I saw a number of families with kids and I think it’s a great activity for kids due to the “cool” factor of being on a moving train.

The train stops in Silver Plume for 15 Minutes where you can get out, walk around, and check out the gift shop or Museum. If you end up not doing the actual train ride, walking around the Silver Plume train station and museum is still a great way to spend part of your day. The Silver Plume train station is only open from Mid May through October!

George Rowe Museum

Showcases the history of this once booming mining town. Silver was the most concentrated in this part of the state in the 1800’s. The museum preservers the history, artifacts and stories of Silver Plume.

Hike The Argentine Central Railroad Grade trail

Another hiking trail that starts across the highway from town with a little bit less elevation gain then the 7:30 Mine trail. The hike is longer at almost 6 miles out and back but will have similar views to Mine trail, such as overlooking the Clear Creek Valley and i70.

Looking for other Colorado Adventure? Check out the Reds Rocks Trail and Morrison Slide Loop. It’s a cool hike to do in the afternoon not far from Denver!