IT’S (STILL) FALL, Y’ALL 🍁! I figured I’d bump this post to the top of my blogging to do list as now is THE time to go leaf peeping...and that time is quickly slipping away! In Colorado timing is everything with hiking during this beautiful season, and I’d say NOW is the absolute perfect time to go if you’re able to!
Hiking to Crystal Mill has been number one on my Colorado bucket list for a minute. I honestly thought this was going to be something I pushed out to 2021, but as I tend to do, I made a very last minute decision Thursday night to take the ladies 🐶 🐶 up this past weekend and was not disappointed (as evidenced by my awkward smile 👇🏼).
Because the drive is four hours from the metro area and the hike clocks in around 9 miles (we tracked 9.5 or so), I rented a room at the GreenTree Extended Stay Eagle/Vail Valley in Eagle for around $80...given it is prime peeping season in that area, I was pretty damn happy about the price and quality of this stay. And did I mention they allow bougie dogs who hate car camping 😛?
We stopped in Vail on our way to the hotel and hit one of my absolute fall favorites, Booth Falls. HOLY PEEPING, GUYS 🍁. I’ve done this hike three times and cannot recommend it enough for leaf peeping season (for even more recommendations while the peeps are still a-poppin’, check our my fall hiking guide)! The aspen groves on the trail and surrounding it are honestly out of this world and you will not be disappointed!
Just note that the parking lot for this hike is teeny tiny and you may have to wait like we did if overflow parking isn’t open. Also, parking enforcement has been out every time I’ve been there and this weekend was no exception. I saw several people receive tickets- and I can say from experience, that’s not the most fun to come back to after a few hours spent in hiking bliss.
After a solid nights rest, thanks to my bougie babies, we booked it out towards Marble. Marble is about an hour and a half, easy drive from Eagle and you don’t need any particular vehicle to make it to the trailhead in good weather. You will lose service on the way to this trek, so make sure to have your directions and trail information stored appropriately.
When you arrive at the “trailhead” for the mill, please be mindful of where you park! This is less a trailhead and more a turn in the road. I found parking on the side of the street with no problem. Although it’s somewhat remote, this is a residential area and there are driveways and mailboxes lining the road to be aware of, so keep your eyes peeled to avoid getting towed.
The mill honestly isn’t the easiest spot to get to, but you can get there by vehicle. The road is ROUGH and if you don’t have a capable high clearance vehicle- PLEASE DO NOT ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THIS 🙅🏼♀️. You know how you always see like one Prius somehow parked at the top of crazy ass mountain roads? Not here, friends. And please don’t try to be that brave little Prius- leave that to the toasters 😂.
We did see a low clearance Mazda trying to make it...near dusk...and this was worrisome. I’m a “do as you please if you aren’t putting others at risk” type of person...but given the narrow, steep road they’re sharing with people on foot and on bikes, this was cause for concern as it was getting dark and they were clearly having problems maneuvering and braking. If you want to tear up your car, that’s fine, but please be mindful of the danger you’re putting others in with the choices you make recreating outdoors 💚.
We chose to be kind to others and our sweet Subaru wagon and hoof the 9.5 miles. And, let me tell you, despite the dust, side jumps for all the vehicles rolling by and heat 🥵- it was an absolutely beautiful hike with views for days. The aspens were a-poppin’ and fall was 💯 in the air. There was even a beautiful lake I wasn’t expecting along the way that the pups enjoyed and the entire hike was next to a stream and felt like some kind of magical fall day dream.
Oh- and let me just backtrack a bit here because I kind of glazed- I’m not trying to downplay the amount of vehicles rolling by and dust because, WOOF. If you plan to hike this, make sure you have the mindset that you will get dusty and spend a great deal of time hopping off to the side. I knew this ahead of time, but, if I hadn’t, I would likely have been pretty miserable even with the gorgeous scenery and huge payoff at the end.
If you don’t want to or can’t hoof it and don’t have a capable vehicle, great news! You can rent a Jeep or ATV from one of several companies in town! They even have tours if you’re a little nervous about driving, which is pretty neat if you’re from out of state and not ready to tackle a bumpy mountain road on your own.
However you choose to get there, when you (finally!) reach the top and see the mill, WOWZERS 😍! It’s as beautiful, if not more, than the photos show and I loved every damn minute we were up there. COVID information- please be aware, it is outdoors and nearly no one was masked. If that’s not something you’re okay with, I would not recommend this hike or drive as social distancing on the trail was great, but was not really happening at the top.
When you arrive, you can stay behind the ropes at the top and take in the views and take pictures in several areas. But, I’d you’re interested in getting a better, closer look, you can pay $10 and sign a waiver to go 📸 and play in the pool below (make sure you bring cash!). We did and it was well worth it for me and the pups. There were quite a few photographers down there, so be prepared to make friends and crawl around a bit to get your perfect shot. In this area I found it much easier to distance and relax while taking it all in- highly recommend 💚!
So, how the hell did this weird abandoned structure chilling above an aspen surrounded waterfall pool come to be? Crystal Mill has been around for a while, since about 1893, and was originally used as a powerhouse. The mill, which apparently isn’t actually a mill 😂, closed in 1917 and has been hanging out in all its abandoned glory ever since. It’s not hard to see why it’s one of Colorado’s most photographed spots...with as much of Colorado as I’ve seen, I haven’t seen anything quite like it. And the history makes it all that much more interesting and exciting a place to visit.
A magical place I’d like to see agin, that’s for sure. But the mill is in a little bit of a pickle right now. Apparently an attempt to transition the mill to a nonprofit is taking place in order to preserve and protect it for future generations. The nonprofit needs the funds to purchase the mill and if that doesn’t occur, it will likely be transitioned back to the family who owns it and sold to the highest bidder. Although there’s no way to know who May buy it, it could potentially be purchased by someone who has no interest in keeping it open to the public, or worse, wants to tear it down.
Interested in helping or learning more about the history or preservation of the mill? For more information on how you can help or donate, please visit the Crystal Mill Foundation website at https://crystalmillfoundation.org. If you have any questions on our mill adventure feel free to reach out, and, as always, happy hiking ❤️🏔✌🏼.
Commenti