RMNP’s Coyote Valley Trail
This week’s featured hike in Rocky Mountain National Park is the Coyote Valley Trail, a fantastic day trip that is as scenic as it is family-friendly. The easy hike is a quick 1-mile round trip loop. This trail is also flat, with no elevation change, which makes for one of the less strenuous hikes in the park. The Coyote Valley Trail is wheelchair accessible as well.
To reach the Coyote Valley Trail, take Trail Ridge Road (U.S. Highway 34) from Grand Lake about 5 miles north into the Park and watch for signs that point to the trailhead parking lot. (If you reach the Bowen/Baker Trailhead or the Timber Creek Campground, you’ve gone too far).
The trailhead includes ample parking, restroom facilities, and a prominent sign to mark the Coyote Valley trailhead.
The trail meanders along the headwaters of the mighty Colorado River, though it’s still little more than a mountain stream in the Kawuneeche Valley. (Fun fact: “Kawuneeche” is the native Arapahoe word for coyote, hence the Coyote Valley Trail!) Visitors may also fish for trout in the river along the trail.
Also along the trail are educational exhibits, which provide interesting facts and information about the surrounding natural features of the park. Log benches also provide the chance to sit down for a moment to enjoy the spectacular scenery.
Several picnic sites are located along the Coyote Valley Trail as well, with first-come-first-served picnic tables available for a nice picnic in the park.
The Kawuneeche Valley is also prime wildlife habitat, and is one of the best areas in Rocky Mountain National Park to view wild animals. Elk, moose, antelope, and other animals call the valley home, and can often be spotted in the valley meadows.
With beautiful views of the Colorado River headwaters, the Kawuneeche Valley meadows, and the snow-capped Never Summer Mountain Range in the distance, the Coyote Valley Trail really is a fun hike for the whole family!
Of course, after your hike on the Coyote Valley Trail, you’re welcome to come enjoy our hospitality in Grand Lake! Plenty of lodging, dining, and entertainment options abound, and we’d be glad to host you as our guests – especially for the 4th of July holiday weekend! Contact the Grand Lake Chamber for more info!
To contact the Grand Lake Chamber of Commerce, call 970-627-3402.