Hiking in the Rockies on a sunny spring morning? It's typically enjoyable. Elk Meadow Park trails are no exception. The park is a hilly area within the Rockies, just past the town of Evergreen, CO.
There's actually a lot of interconnecting trails in a somewhat complex layout. This requires you to know where you are going before you get going. I walked on the course identified as Hike #7 in the book 60 Hikes within 60 Miles from Denver and Boulder. Fortunately, there are trail signs that tell you clearly on to which trail you are about to walk. Some portions of the trails involve modest climbs that would make me rate the hike closer to "moderate" than "easy".
Various courses along the trail system allow you several options to walk in circuits rather than in-and-out. I like the idea of hiking in a circuit. Although there is plenty of shade during the hike, there are also significant areas under direct sunlight.
Even though this is mid-Spring, I didn't see all that many varieties of flowers along the trails, but there were a few. However, while exploring the trails, I ran across a few birds, and a coyote off in the distance. No name sake elks, though.
