#hikeseries

Difficulty: Easy

Hike Time: 30 Minutes

Let’s take an easy stroll down Woods Walk trail.  Located up Kebler Pass, Wood’s Walk trail offers amazing views of town and Mt. Crested Butte.  After you finish the hike, make sure you stop by the red bench just above the trail.  The view of town and Mt. Crested Butte is breath taking, so make sure you bring your camera.  Woods Walk trail is a quick hike the entire family can take part in.  It’s short, easy and fun, so get out there.

Make your way into town before heading west on Whiterock Avenue.  From there, continue on until Whiterock Ave becomes Kebler Pass.  Drive a quarter of a mile on Kebler Pass and park at the designated parking spots located on your left. 

For a more scenic views of Crested Butte, stay left on the trail and hike little higher up giving you a bird’s eye view of town Crested Butte with beautiful Mt. Crested Butte sitting in the distance.

Difficulty: Easy

Hike Time: 4-6 hours

Photo: Allen Smith

Put on your hiking boots and experience the joy of hiking the enchanting wilderness that is the Oh Be Joyful trail.  As you begin the hike, make sure to check out one of the many Slate River overlooks and watch kayakers drop 8, 10, and even 25 foot drop waterfalls.  You may be shaking your head in amazement as they take off!  Also, don’t forget to bring your camper or tent as Oh Be Joyful offers a beautiful campground bordering the Slate River.

Photo: Heather Roberts

Tighten up your laces and stretch out your legs as you prepare for an awesome hike!  Depending on the water level of the Slate River at the trailhead, river crossing may only be possible by vehicle. Water levels are not conducive for smaller vehicles, so using caution and good judgment, along with a 4X4, AWD, or a high clearance truck is highly recommended.  If you cannot cross the river by vehicle due to higher water levels, you may be able to utilize natural bridges such as fallen logs to get across. Please use caution if doing so, as these are not permanent structures!

Photo: Heather Roberts

The trail begins as a dirt road which is also open to vehicle access for one mile before turning to a single track. Just before the dirt road ends, be sure to stop and take a moment to walk over to the Slate River overlooks on your left to catch the jaw-dropping sights of the waterfalls and rapids… you may even catch a kayaker or two braving the gnarly rapids and raging waterfalls. 

As you continue along the Oh Be Joyful trail, be sure to stop frequently and take many photos of the abundant colorful wildflowers, bountiful wildlife and the incredible mountain scenery that will make you feel like you are in paradise.  Be prepared to have your breath taken away. While the 7 mile stretch of trail eventually leads to the oasis that is Blue Lake, those who wish to shorten their hike due to time or physical constraints are still encouraged to venture out and explore. 

Photo: Heather Roberts

Difficulty: Advanced Intermediate

Time: 4-6 Hours

Photo: Allen Smith

Start your car, we are headed to Ohio Pass Road where you will be introduced to the beautiful and colorful Carbon Mountain.  Carbon Mountain stands at 12,088ft and is a quick 30 minute drive from the town of Crested Butte.  Drive up Kebler Pass making your way past Irwin before getting a glimpse of the spectacular Ruby Range in front of you.  After passing Irwin, turn left on to Ohio Pass Road and drive another 5 miles before reaching the trailhead parking lot.  (Also, if you continue down Ohio Pass Road, you will eventually end up in Gunnison, CO.)  This is an alternate route from CO-135 with some unbelievable views!  As you approach the Carbon Mountain trailhead, look out and find Castle Mountain in the distance and be marveled by its creation.

Photo: Allen Smith

Once you locate the trailhead, you will come across a small river.  Cross the river and continue straight through some aspen trees.  The trail is not quite defined, but continue on and eventually you will run into the trail.  For this reason, we have marked this trail as advanced intermediate, because the single track trail can be challenging to find.

Photo: Allen Smith

Carbon Mountain trail has three distinct areas.  First, you walk through a jungle of aspen trees, and depending on the amount of moisture Crested Butte gets during the spring months, you will most likely be surrounded by a sea of beautiful wildflowers and greenery everywhere.  It is extremely epic!  The next section of trees you will come across will be spaced out pine trees.  In this section, the trail becomes a bit steep, so take your time and bring lots of water.  We stopped on multiple occasions to relax and take in the beautiful West Elk Mountain range behind us.  The last few miles of the hike before reaching the summit of Carbon Mountain feature a blanket of rocks.  We recommend quality hiking boots in this section because these rocks are heavy and can be slippery at times.  I wore trail running shoes on this hike, but quickly regretted it when I made it to this rocky section.  

Photo: Allen Smith

You have made it! Now take a seat on a rock as you take in the amazing views at every angle.  Mt. Crested Butte, Gunnison, the Ruby Range, the San Juan Mountain range and others are easily viewable from the peak giving you a different perspective of the Gunnison Valley.  Pat yourself on the back as you have just conquered a challenging, yet awesome mountain.

Photo: Allen Smith