Ouray Perimeter Trail, Uncompahgre Wilderness, Colorado

ACTIVITIES: Hiking, birding, caves LENGTH OF HIKES: 4.2–5.8 miles OUT AND BACK OR LOOP: Loop DIFFICULTY OF TERRAIN: Moderate ELEVATION GAIN: 1,150 feet PARKING FEE/PASS: No TOILETS: No CHANGING TABLE: No NURSING BENCHES: Yes BIKES/HORSES/MOTORS ON TRAIL: Horses in some areas CELL RECEPTION: Yes DRINKING WATER AVAILABLE: No POTENTIAL CHILD OR BABY HAZARDS: There are some very narrow and rocky parts. Put toddlers/younger children in a carrier pack, if possible, through these areas. GEAR SUGGESTIONS: Carrier pack, bug spray The Ouray Perimeter Trail is located in an old mining town and is an exciting day trip for families interested in getting in a good, lengthy hike. Expect to see butterflies, mountain goats, maybe a bear, and lots of birds. You will also find old mining tunnels, ropes, and bridges, because silver mining was big in this town in the 1800s. There are two versions of this hike, depending on if you choose to take a shortcut, which shaves off about a mile. The hike will take around 3 to 4 hours to complete, depending on if you opt for the ice park shortcut. Ouray Ice Park is a man-made ice climbing venue in the Uncompahgre Gorge that’s considered to be one of the premier ice climbing spots in the world. Every January, the Ouray Ice Festival attracts elite ice climbers from around the world to this area. While this is one of the main hikes people visit in the area, from this trail you can access a number of other harder and longer trails off of the Ouray Perimeter. This may not be the ideal hike for a new walker, but we couldn’t pass up adding this to the book because of its uniqueness and beauty. This hike is iconic Colorado with amazing views into a deep canyon and some narrow sections that you will just want to hold a hand to venture through. The trail starts off with a steep uphill climb plan to carry here), but don’t worry, it gradually flattens as you hike along. In the beginning, you will see high mountain peaks all around you, starting with Mount Abrams (12,801 feet) and Hayden Mountain (11,475 feet). To the southwest is U.S. Mountain (13,036 feet), and to the west are Whitehouse Mountain (13,452 feet) and Twin Peaks (10,798 feet). There are moments on this hike where it will feel “risky” with narrow ledges and high bridges, but this is not a razor-thin hiking trail. The trail isn’t crowded, and you will never feel like ants marching along. The narrow sections will keep you on your toes and add to the excitement and fun. Keep in mind, if you do have a fear of heights, this might not be the trail for you. Your first breathtaking site on this hike is the Cascade Waterfalls. Spray from the falls can be a little cold if it’s not a sunny, warm day and you get too close. Obviously, you will want to keep kiddos back from the falls because it’s powerful and definitely not swimmable! While you can hike this trail at any time of the year, we would recommend the summer so you can enjoy the mountain chilliness of the waterfalls and streams. Cascade Falls can be pretty crowded because many people just hike to the falls from the access point downtown, but don’t worry about the whole trail having this feel. There’s only a small section where you will notice the masses. Take a moment at the falls and then head on because there is a lot more fun coming up on the trail. The waterfall is followed by the baby bathtubs, then continue hiking and you’ll enter a beautiful meadow, cross the Million Dollar Highway, and you’ll have views for days. From here you can take the left fork and go out to the ice park bridge and dam or you can take the right (the ice park shortcut) and still see part of the ice park. Remember that at certain times of year, mosquitoes can be fierce. That’s not the end of the adventure, though. Keep hiking and you get to Box Canyon. Megan said one of the highlights of their hike was the tunnel at Box Canyon. “Our 3-year-old kept asking to go through it again and again. He loved running through