Hiking, Biking, and Camping at Buffalo Creek

Buffalo Creek in the Pike National Forest is tucked away in the mountains, not far from Denver, and offers many activities like hiking, biking, fly fishing, horseback riding, and camping. Although nearby areas have been ravaged by forest fires in recent years, beautiful scenery abounds and signs of recovery are plentiful. Camping in this area was a good reminder to me how utterly devastating forest fires can be and how important it is to exercise caution when building a campfire.

The first day I hiked 6 miles through Cheesman Canyon along the South Platte River up to the Cheesman reservoir. This area is known for its world class fly fishing and incredible beauty. The crystal clear waters meander around gigantic, house-sized boulders that fill the canyon. After an hour or so of hiking, the icy mountain stream was a perfect place to soak my tired and dusty feet. The 3-mile trail ends near the reservoir, and you can either hike back the way you came, or take a shorter, but much less scenic route, by making a loop and following a road back to the trail head.

A little too much sun

The second day I hooked up with some cycling friends, and we tackled the single track trails that run through mountain forest, over hills, and along streams. I love getting out and riding these trails. It is great exercise, lots of fun, and dodging rocks and ruts in the downhill sections of the trail offers a great adrenaline rush.

At the end of the day, a few of us trekked up to the Bucksnort Saloon, a quirky and rustic restaurant perched above a rushing stream on a dirt road not far from Pine, CO. It is off the beaten path, but the drive alone is very scenic and well worth the detour. The walls and ceiling of the Buck Snort are literally covered with graffiti and small currency, signed and left by patrons from around the world. It is a great place to grab a giant burger and a beer after a ride in the mountains.

More photos of the weekend are available here.

If you go:

Buffalo Creek is about 50 miles SW of Denver. I camped at one of the many turn offs along Forest Road 550 in the Pike National Forest. It was an unimproved site without any amenities (water, electricity, toilets) but was great for privacy with a lot of distance between camping neighbors. Since it is close to the road though, you will hear traffic and sometimes the road dust kicks up. If you can, I'd recommend getting a reservation at one of the nearby National Forest campgrounds.

The hike up Cheesman Canyon starts a few miles west of Deckers, CO, just off hwy 126. You can also pick up fishing supplies and snacks in some of the shops at Deckers.

The trail head for the mountain bike trails at Buffalo Creek is near the intersection of Buffalo Creek Road and CO Hwy 126.