Piney Lake Hike near Vail, Colorado

When we were in Vail with my grandparents, a group of us went for a hike near Piney Lake.  It was the most beautiful hike I have ever been on in my life.  Now, I will admit that I haven't been on very many hikes in my life (until this summer, I wasn't really into it), but look at the photos, and I think you may agree with me (unless you are the Daytons, who have climbed Mt. Kilamanjaro, or my little sister, who has climbed the Inca Trail):

Can you believe that blue sky and those craggy mountains?

Postcard?

Heading into the wilderness...we are scared!

"The hills are alive with the sound of music..."

Father and son,
happy on the mountain

Proof that I was there too.

We made it!

So beautiful.

We hiked three miles up the mountain, through meadows, aspen, and pine.  We ended at a roaring river with some waterfalls, and then we hiked back.  So it was six miles round-trip, and it took us about 1 hour and 15 minutes each way.  (I am only including all of these specifics in case someone out there wants to try this hike sometime.  It's definitely worth doing if you are ever in the Vail area!)

Driving directions:  From I-70, take Exit 176 for Vail.  Take the North Frontage Road west to Red Sandstone Road.  Turn north there and follow the paved road about 0.7 miles to a fork with a dirt road on the left.  Take the dirt road on the left (Red Sandstone Road #700) and follow it for about 11 miles until it ends at Piney River Ranch on Piney Lake.  The drive from Vail to the lake is about 45 minutes, and it is beautiful and bumpy.  From the lake, the hiking trail leading into the mountains is very obvious.

I am going to miss summer and all of this hiking!  Maybe we will have to try snowshoeing in the winter!  (I have never snowshoed before, but there is a first time for everything, right?)