582. Wanda's Wanda-rings: Colorado Trail
Easy scenic hike to the remains of an old Victorian-age lakeside resort for a beautiful aspen stamp by Esmerelda

This lovely hike and stamp by Esmerelda of CO represent my first backpacking foray into the Rocky Mountains way back in 1989. By that time, I had already backpacked the Appalachian Trail between Georgia and Maine four times (out of my 5+) and the Pacific Trail between Mexico and Canada two times (out of my 3+), as well as many other trails (see "Wanda's Wanda-rings").for a more complete background survey), and I really wanted to finally get backpacking along the Continental Divide Trail. The CDT was still largely an "on-paper only" trail at that time, though, so I decided to wait a bit yet before seriously undertaking that back then mostly "bushwhack" adventure and meanwhile do the newly completed Colorado Trail from just outside Denver to Durango as my "Rocky Mountain Warmup". And what a delightful warmup that turned out to be! 500 some miles of beautiful trail, gorgeous scenery, and side-trips to "fourteeners" (14,000' mountains), too!

Of course, in addition to the mountain climbs, there are many mellow easy-going aspen grove sections along this particular trail as well, so that is where I decided to leave Esmerelda's lovely aspen stamp - along one of the flattest. easiest and most accessible sections that also leads to a point of historical interest - the old Interlaken resort, which was once the rustic stomping ground of the western "rich and famous" before the turn of a previous century and before the creation of a reservoir nearby flooded much of the area. A few things still remain, however, like a large wooden ballroom building shaped like a boat and a hexagonal outhouse with leather seats. So, if you have the time, it's definitely worth going the extra mile - about 5 miles round-trip for visiting the Interlaken site as opposed to about 4 miles round trip just for the letterbox.

At any rate, to find the trailhead for this interesting and popular hike, follow route 24 south from Leadville or north from Buena Vista to route 82, and then go west just under a mile to a turnoff left on gravel county 25, which you can follow southwest past the dam to either one of two parking lots - one with a large wooden sign and arrow nearer the lake or one up a short rise north with a CDT marker. Both trails lead you to the same place, which is generally west along the lakeshore for a mile or so. After passing the" Collegiate East" trail junction, with a large sitting log on the right, continue about another 8-10 minutes to a 2-foot boulder on the right that blocks an old run-off/ sandy trail to a spiky tree overlooking the lake. From there, continue up the rise another 80 steps to a charred root ball on the right, about 5 steps off trail. Standing on the west side of the charred root ball, and perhaps noting the "V"-shaped tent under its west end, take the faint trail NNE about 35 steps to a huge beautiful old gray swirly-grained log pointing NW/SE roughly parallel to the lake, with the NW root end resting on a 2-foot boulder. The Wanda's Wanda-rings Colorado Trail letterbox rests behind a 6x8" white & gray granite rock under the protective curve of the old gray root on the uphill side of the boulder.

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