This hike WASN’T on my travel list, but it should have been!! When I decided to take a side trip through Wyoming, I did just a little research on places to camp and this national forest popped up and looked AMAZING.
I actually haven’t done much hiking at higher elevations, but was surprised to find that it didn’t negatively affect me much at all. I hiked a bit slower, yes, and felt a little short of breath at times, but overall, just seriously enjoyed views that mentally took my breath away! Alpine lakes, boulders above the tree line, being able to see for miles and miles…yeah, I loved it.
This area isn’t too far off the beaten path…although it’s a bit of a journey if you’re flying into Denver. You can get here by driving about three hours north [search for Medicine Bow Peak]. I parked at the West Lake Marie trailhead [$5 parking fee] and started my 7 mile loop from here. The peak is about half way around, very rocky, with a bit of snow leftover in July.
The trail was a mix of well maintained trail and rock scrambling. I don’t prefer trekking poles, but plenty of other hikers were using them for balance on the rocks. There were cairns set up in the rockiest areas to help hikers stay on trail. I didn’t hike super fast, partly because of the elevation and partly because there were so many beautiful views to photograph and video.
I was able to complete the hike with a quick dip in Mirror Lake! There are vault toilets and picnic areas nearby. It’s really a great setup, but doesn’t have enough space for a terrible lot of people, so hopefully this place won’t blow up on social media. I passed maybe 20 other hikers over the 6 hours I was on trail. Pretty sweet hidden gem of a place. 🙂
Come visit Medicine Bow National Forest and hike to Medicine Bow Peak! It’s a gorgeous place, especially in July! AND, remember to follow me on Instagram @nearerandfarther! I posted a lot of fun videos
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