Have you ever set out on a solo leaf-peeping trek only to discover, 2 hours later, that you’ve accidentally gone off-roading?
I have.
I mean, as it turned out, my F-150 made the trip just fine and I only shifted into 4WD a couple of times, so maybe it wasn’t technically off-roading. But in future, when Google Maps tells me to take a Forest Service road, I’ll do some poking around online for more info. Google has no idea what the condition of that road is.
The trail to Piney Lake from Vail varied between “deep washboard” and “oh, this is just like when we rode dune buggies in Michigan!” Ultimately the trip took two hours longer than Google estimated, including a short hike to the lake. I learned about this leaf-peeping destination from an article in The Denver Post (which didn’t mention the rough road or the hike). Bonus tip: there are no facilities at the end, so don’t drink two 20-ounce coffees on the way up like this fool did! (I should have known better – this wasn’t my first mountain foray!)
There was no phone reception at all once I left Vail, but there were enough other people on the trail that I knew I could get a lift into town if anything happened to my ride. It all turned out well and felt like a little adventure!
Meanwhile, my final assessment is that while there was plenty of fall color on the way to the lake, the view at Piney Lake itself was underwhelming for Colorado, especially after an hour on a rough dirt road to get there. As in life, the journey was everything.
What I’m watching: Blown Away on Netflix.
What I’m listening to: The Happiness Lab podcast by Dr. Laurie Santos.
Related posts:
Finding Aspen Gold in Colorado 2019 (Spoiler Alert: It’s Not Here Yet!)