I decided to check out Matthews/Winter Park for a hike with my dog. It was a sunny Tuesday, so I figured it would be great to absorb the sunshine. I hiked a total of 4.5 miles. The trail I followed was Village Walk (0.4), Red Rocks Trail (0.4), Cherry Gulch (0.3), Morrison Trail Slide Trail (1.5), Red Rocks Trail (0.7), Cherry Gulch Trail (0.3), Red Rocks Trail (0.4), and back to Village Walk (0.4). I hiked this trail about 3 years ago and it was interesting to see how the trail has changed. I believe they rerouted some of the trails. You will find colored maps (with glossy paper) at the location.
Here are some possible issues to keep in mind.
Issue: On the weekends, parking can be difficult here.
Solution: You can park across the street. There is a crosswalk to help facilitate crossing the main road.
Issue: During the summer, snakes are active in this area.
Solution: Be on guard for snakes…. I know, very insightful.
Issue: Although it’s located near a cute town called Morrison, there have been issues with car break-ins in the past.
Solution: Keep your valuables at home or out of sight.
Issue: This trail system is open to bikes and walkers.
Solution: Keep your eyes open for bikers and keep the dog on the leash. Most of the bicyclists are nice, but it wouldn’t be ideal if the human or dog got into an accident with a bicyclist on a narrow track.
Fun Highlights From This Hike:
1) If you take the Morrison Slide Trail to the top, you walk along this plateau which overlooks Morrison and Dakota Ridge Trail.
2) There are about 3 stream crossings which is great for dogs.
3) When you come down from Morrison Slide Trail towards Red Rocks Amphitheatre, you will admire the height of those majestic rocks.
4) At the top, I suggest looking at the ridge outlines. Amazing how those mountain tops were developed and the beautiful scenery they provide.
5) This is a great place to run as the trail is a mixture of flat, up, down, and rocks mixed into the trail.
More Photos From The Trail
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