The best running trails around Nathrop

Browns Canyon National Monument is described by the US Forest Service as being "a recreationist’s dream." The granite walls making up the canyon are unique to the area, and the trails are well-marked and easy to follow.

Bald Mountain stands at 9,607 feet and sees a variety of trail users reaching its summit. A rough OHV trail leads to the peak, but many people use the road for hiking, biking, and running as well. This can be a particularly good place to run in the late winter when most of the higher peaks in the area are still covered in snow.

The Colorado Trail intersects here with the road leading up to the upper Mount Princeton Trailhead. The road is very doable the first 4 miles with almost any 4wd vehicle. The last couple miles of road are only possible with high clearance. If running up to Mount Princeton, the 4wd road sections are the main parts that are actually "runnable." This is a common spot for the start (or finish) of a point-to-point run on the Colorado Trail.

The main Mount Princeton parking lot is here just before the Mount Princeton Heliport. Some high clearance vehicles can drive further up the road from here to where the single track begins, but there is very limited parking at the pull-off.

Mount Princeton Chalet is located at the end of Mount Princeton Road near Lucky Mine. The chalet is spacious with a fireplace, but don't plan for there to always be wood available. There is enough room for a good amount of cars to park, and there is nearby access to the Mount Princeton Trail. The road section above treeline is high in elevation, but the grades are runnable. This is a nice change of pace compared to the talus hopping up and down Mount Princeton.

It could be argued that the majority of the trail leading up to Mount Princeton is a boulder field, but this section of the trail is especially full of talus hopping. The upper part of the trail is slightly less rocky, but it becomes much steeper and sandier. This is a slow-going part of the trail; look for big rocks with lichen and stick to the known paths. Aim to keep close to the ridge proper for the best footing, and check to make sure you are not straying onto a spur trail too far into the basin.

Mount Princeton is an often underrated 14er in terms of difficulty. At 14,196 feet, Mount Princeton is located in the heart of the Sawatch Range and is one of the rockiest peaks in the range. The final two miles up to the peak heavily consists of talus hopping and steep scree hiking. There is not much exposure, but making progress on this peak is tedious. The views from the top are great, like any other Colorado 14er. Don't plan to make up a lot of time on the initial downhill from the peak (or along the ridge until you hit the road). The talus and scree move underfoot a bit, and it's easy to fall through some of the cracks.

Bald Mountain stands at 9,607 feet and see's a variety of trail users reaching its summit. A rough OHV trail leads to the peak, but many people use the road for hiking, biking, and running as well. This can be a particularly good place to hike in the late winter when most of the higher peaks in the area are still covered in snow.