All of the neighborhood scouting and a weekend of open houses in Fort Collins/Loveland had us looking up into the mountains for a day hike. Dogs and Rocky Mountain National Park are not a friendly combination with the former banned, except for parking lots and roads. So we looked to Larimer County and found Hermit Park Open Space near Estes Park with dog-friendly trails.
After paying the $10 for a 24 hour day pass, we drove up to about 8300 feet and parked at the trailhead. There was only one other car parked; we ran into only one other group on the way up to Kruger Rock.
It was a spectacular hiking day with temperatures in the sixties, sunny skies, changing fall colors, and excellent trail conditions.
We gained about a thousand feet to reach the top. The final ascent included a short and narrow rock scramble.
After such a great hike, we felt like we had earned a beer. Unfortunately, it was only 11:30 am when we finished up and drove into Estes Park. No problem! Not only was Rockcut Brewery open, but the bar was full by the time we finished our one beer.
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| Rockcut Hazy IPA |
