Steamboat Springs, Ski Town USA, is best known for their winter sports and producing more Winter Olympic athletes than any place in North America. So why go to Steamboat in the summer? Number one, I don’t ski, but mostly because of the waterfalls and wildflowers! Now that’s what I love! Today we are heading to Fish Creek Falls, less than four miles from downtown Steamboat where we are staying. The trails and services are maintained by the US Forest Service in Routt National Forest and they have done a wonderful job.
Fish Creek Falls is one of the most popular summer sights in Steamboat. Surprise, serious road work making our trip mostly a one-lane experience taking more than twice as long as it should have. Leaving a little before 7am, it is now 7:45am. Well, with all the winter snow, road work must be done in the summer. We are ahead of the crowds and the construction may keep the crowds away for a while. Here’s hoping.
There is a large parking lot with a $5 parking fee. The Forest Service made a paved trail to an overlook of the falls for the mobility challenged and a natural trail for us down to the bottom of the falls. It is only 1/4 mile to the falls and walking through the forest in early morning is cool, sun dappled, and beautiful.
We’ve been hearing Fish Creek and finally see it ahead on our steady down-hill walk.
We are walking along the cliff’s edge, straight up to the left, straight down on the right. Being so close it is difficult to see the top, but here we can. There are the junipers so common in the mountain west, growing on rock and enjoying the morning sun.
Here’s a nice view of the creek with fewer trees in the way. We can also hear the falls.
Last bit of the trail and . . .
No, I’m not standing in the creek, there is a bridge that crosses to the other side of the creek. From there you can continue 5 miles to Long Lake. It is “only” a 2,460 foot elevation gain. Ahhhh, no. Let’s just enjoy the beauty here!
Fish Creek Falls is the second highest waterfall in Colorado at 283 feet. I’m sure you are wondering: so what is the highest waterfall? It is Bridal Vail Falls outside of Telluride in the San Juan Mountains, dropping 365 feet. Stay tuned for my future visit to Tellurid, and guess where I’m going first.
Heading back up the trail we pass the point where Fish Creek turns southwest. It ends in Steamboat joining the 250-mile long Yampa River which runs south to north the entire length of Steamboat Springs. Yes, we are on the western side of the Continental Divide, with rivers running south to north. The Yampa is a major tributary of the Green River which flows from Wyoming, mostly through Utah, and joining the Colorado River in Canyonlands National Park.
These are steep rock walls we are walking along but junipers do know how to survive.
So often we see junipers growing on rock. How can they do that? This is one of the best examples I’ve seen of their survival technique. They send out roots to “explore” between the rocks hunting for water and nutrients from wind-blown dirt and sand.
Remember I mentioned the paved trail to an overlook? Let’s take the .7 mile walk to look at the falls from a higher and closer view.
Ah, yes! This must be incredible during spring snow melt and run off. Sounds like another trip!
Stunning!
Until next time my friend . . . Now off to see wildflowers.
