Headed north on a partially hard-surfaced road north from Pagosa Springs, going past the town airport and continuing on northward further along the subalpine valley, ultimately dropping down along an escarpment fairly close to the Piedra River. One of the rock formations along the trail. There are no guided tours or speleothems. Hikers of all ages and abilities can enjoy this trail. The Hike: Start on the Piedra River Trail, after several hundred Telephoto View of Piedra River from Ice Cave Ridge. Treasure Mountain Trail. Ice Cave Ridge Follow same directions for access as the Piedra River Trail, but when the trail forks, stay to the right. To get there: Piedra Road North (CR 600 /FS 631) for 16 miles; after crossing the Piedra River, the parking lot is on the left. Scree is a collection of broken rock fragments at the base of crags, mountain cliffs, volcanoes or valley shoulders that has accumulated through periodic rockfall from adjacent cliff faces. Zion National Park. Pagosa Springs CO in 3d. View From Four Mile Road. ... hold a commanding view of the surrounding San Juan Mountains and Piedra River valley. Start on the Piedra River Trail and then follow the old road bed to the right. Beautiful views of the Piedra Valley. Piedra River Trail: ice caves - See 239 traveller reviews, 166 candid photos, and great deals for Pagosa Springs, CO, at Tripadvisor. Piedra River Hot Springs Where: 3-mile out and back trail in the San Juan National Forest near Piedra The Lowdown: Chill and relax in one of … On a wooden platform inside the cave visitors can see the always present ice floor of the cave. The vast majority of those reading this will never see the ice cave that’s located behind the Spiral Staircase climbing route near Vail, more than likely. ... and Navajo State Park. Travel. My backyard View_tonemapped. Immediately after the bridge, take a left into the Piedra River Trailhead parking lot. 55 Total Climbs 740. This was a great little hike along the very scenic and at the time raging Piedra River. Think as you observe that the surface of the earth in this area was once a few hundred feet higher and the Piedra River carried all that’s now missing away. That’s because to get to this spot, you’ll need to climb straight up an 80-ft frozen … Follow Piedra Rd through the neighborhoods, the pavement will end, take it another 10-15 miles, and the first bridge will be crossing the Piedra River. Start at either end of the trail – from the Piedra River crossing via Piedra Road, or from following US Highway 160 about 23 miles to where the Piedra River … As you drop to the river, you will see the first route on your right. Granite Peak West Mountain Slide Mountain Vallecito 160 Bayfield 160 This is an easy walk on a wide gravel and boardwalk path to views of Big Four Mountain and the caves beneath the snow. The Lower Piedra Trail is located near Chimney Rock, and a Forest Service gate blocks access in the winter. There are routes along the cliff and boulder problems and top ropes down by the river. Headed north on a partially hard-surfaced road north from Pagosa Springs, going past the town airport and continuing on northward further along the subalpine valley, ultimately dropping down along an escarpment fairly close to the Piedra River. Drive 7 miles to the trailhead. Start at the trailhead parking lot and follow the paved pathway through the woods. View From My Window. The Spiral Staircase – Vail. Take a sweatshirt or jacket, it may be cold inside. The Big Ice Cave can be viewed by taking a short walk down an improved plank trail to the entrance portal. Location - drive 8 miles NE on U.S. 160 and turn right on East Fork Road. Sep 13, 2013 - Upper Kanarra Creek Falls dressed in ice. ... you'll find several natural fissures that often hold ice late into summer - giving them their name - The Ice Caves! According to Mountain Project, there are trad routes, several bolted routes, and bouldering available. ICE CAVE RIDGE A nice geological detour. Marvel at a … The adventurous will find one such cave big enough to explore - great for kids of all ages. We hiked about 3.5 miles of the Piedra Trail and then detoured to ice cave ridgeline and the not marked, but easy to find Piedra Ice Fissures Trail. This is an easy, short trail up Ice Cave Ridge. Trailhead elevation is 7,700 feet. Piedra River Trail - a hike well worth the effort !!! There are fissures over 25 ft deep and over 25 ft long. Piedra River: A day’s hike at a moderate altitude (about 7,000 feet) with no long, steep climbs; follow a well-marked trail beside the Piedra. An easy, short trail up the Ice Cave Ridge. #13 Ice Cave Ridge Trail Length: .5 miles | Difficulty: Easy. Explore. Pagosa Springs CO in 3d. But if you’d like to climb, there are plenty of routes ranging between 5.9 and 5.12b just before you get to the river. the First Fork Road trail access. This trail will quickly bring you to a very neat geological feature known as the “Ice Caves.” These deep fissures shelter ice into early Summer and continue to get larger and deeper with each melt-freeze cycle. The view from my backdoor. A unique site for a quick hike. Take the trail, dont forget to sign in, at the fork in the trail … Piedra River / Ice Cave Ridge Parking Lot 0.5 mi 2.4 mi 15.7 mi 0.5 mi US Forest Service to Piedra River / Ice Cave Ridge Drive 19.2 miles, 35 min Parking Lot Driving Directions to Piedra River Trailhead. This hike first crosses an open area and passes a fork; to the right is the Ice Cave Ridge Trail, a short hike up the ridge to fissures that are sheltered from the sun and contain snow in to late June. Drive to the Piedra River Trail (596) parking area to access this trail. From the parking lot across the Piedra River, take the Ice Caves Trail down stream taking a left at the fork. . Piedra River Trail - a hike well worth the effort !!! You must obey all signs or notices regarding your route. Bring a flashlight as there are no lights inside. An easy one-mile hike will bring you to the Piedra Falls, and from there it’s just another 300 yards up the Piedra River Trail to the caves. Article by Khadijah O. September 2020. Ice Caves Trail starts across the road from the parking lot and is a nice hike down to the river itself. - Williams Creek/Piedra River Trail/Ice Caves Trail (45 minutes) ----- POLICIES/RULES - Non-smoking residence (including outside) - No Pets - Must be 25 years old to reserve home - No parties or number of people staying than are paid for. Upper Kanarra Creek Falls dressed in ice. This is a moderate to more difficult trail with spectacular views as you hike to Windy Pass. From the parking area, start on the Piedra River Trail for several hundred yards, then follow the old road bed to the right. North America Travel. Fire and Ice. Pagosa Springs in 3d. This hike also has good views of the Piedra Vallley. 13. Ice Cave Ridge: Follow same directions for access as the Piedra River Trail, but when the trail forks, stay to the right. View of Piedra River and Trail Ridge from Ice Cave Ridge. 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