The best hikes are the ones that surprise you. These surprises can take many different forms but any kind of pleasant surprise can be something that takes a hike from good to great. I do specify a pleasant surprise. Hearing a rustling followed by rattling and looking down to see you’re within striking distance of a rattlesnake can make a day in the wild memorable but not necessarily “great.” Luckily, only good surprises have ever greeted me on my way to Catamount Reservoir.
I think surprises become more important the more experience you gain at this hobby. A hobby which amounts to walking in an unfamiliar place- preferably one with some sort of interesting wildlife or vegetation. Think of your favorite hike. The one that made you fall in love with hiking. The one that made you fall in love with a specific part of the world or a specific time of year. Were you expecting to be amazed? Even if you were, I can almost guarantee that there was a certain level of underestimation at play.
Even the most legendary of hikes are capable of this, which is part of what makes them so famous. No one goes on one of the many renowned trails in Yosemite expecting to see a few trees and have a pleasant afternoon. They expect to be wowed, amazed, and dumbstruck. Even with the massive weight of expectation, the trees, the rocks, the shadows, and the flowers are still able to deliver on this promise of astonishment. That is why we hike.
Catamount Reservoir is this hike for me. The hike made me fall in love with hiking all over again and the one that made me fall in love with Colorado.
It’s not a particularly well-known trail. You won’t find it in travel guides of the best hikes in the state or even the best in the Front Range. Locals may know it, or they may not. The hike itself isn’t particularly secluded or remote. In fact, it’s quite the opposite, as the trailhead begins at the end of a very long and very steep road that requires you to park at the bottom. Not only does this result in the hike starting a full mile before the trailhead itself, but it also means that you are forced to put significant stress on your thighs before the real thing even begins.
The Hike to Catamount Reservoir Begins
This is balanced by the fact that the walk to the trailhead is by far the most difficult leg of the journey. The road and neighborhood you walk through are just the beginning of a series of surprises this trail has to offer. The houses that flank on either side of the dirt road range from quaint cottages to small mansions, each more different than the last. Some look half abandoned, with one or several cars in the driveway that looks like they haven’t moved in half a decade: overgrown grass, windows covered in water spots, a roof badly in need of repairs.
The Bigfoot house
There is one house that falls in between these two extremes. The grass is slightly overgrown, and the planter boxes that dot the front yard are all empty. Weeds sprout up between the cracks in the path that leads up to the front door. The house is on the larger side, sitting on a piece of property that is well above average for the street. A two story glass window that reaches all the way to the roof dwarfs the brown front door. An impressive architectural feat that clashes badly with the cabin-themed homes surrounding it.
In front of the house is a bulletin board. Staked right into the dry front lawn with cheap lumber painted a shade of dark brown some years ago. The bulletin board is locked behind two glass doors, perhaps the only thing on the property that is regularly cleaned, allowing hikers a look inside.
Behind the glass, there isn’t any information on community events. Nor are there passive-aggressive warnings about solicitations. There is no information about a missing person that the homeowner hasn’t been able to let go of. Nor is there a small selection of books that operates as the local library. Instead, there is a topographical map and a photo of a footprint. A rather BIG footprint. The photo in question is taped to glass behind a thin wooden panel with a handle attached. On this panel, a sign that reads simply “open for photos of the footprint.” Simply move aside this privacy cover to see what all the fuss is about.
The footprint itself is striking. A large, human-like foot pressed into the firm snow, apparently in front of this very home some 40-odd years ago. The only evidence left behind from the night the house’s owner looked out his front window into the snow and saw an entire family of Bigfoot. To be fair, I’m not quite sure what the typical family dynamic is for such creatures but to the homeowner, a group of three constituted a family.
There’s no telling what they were doing here. Perhaps Catamount Reservoir is near their home or maybe they on their way up the mountain to go ice fishing.
The map behind the bulletin board marks numerous other sightings that have been reported in the area, many by the homeowner’s neighbors. Unfortunately, these amount to hearsay, likely due to the inexperience of those who made the sightings, as they didn’t think to scour the area for physical evidence the way a true Sasquatch hunter would. Perhaps they were too scared.
Reading about the strange sightings and happenings that have seemingly plagued this neighborhood, and this house in particular forces you to do a double take. The cute alien cutout waving from the window suddenly takes on a new meaning. You wonder what else they saw, what else they know- or at least what they think they saw and what they think they know.
It’s a strange experience when all you wanted to do was feel like you did something with your weekend.
The hike to Catamount Reservoir truly begins
Then on you go, leaving behind the cryptid world for the one that contains very real dangers. Like dehydration or falling off a cliff. The road to the trailhead is so long that seeing the sign that signifies the starting line feels like a small victory in itself. A victory that is rewarded with another steep incline as you come upon the name-sake of the Catamount Falls trail. It’s not the only waterfall you see but is probably the most dramatic. The water rolls off a large boulder which acts as an easy viewpoint for the lower portion of the falls.
Directly next to the waterfall, a series of colored circles nailed to the trees mark the trail up the mountainside. This is where the real hike to Catamount Reservoir begins. The first 1/4 mile is more akin to a staircase than a trail but the steep incline allows you to climb directly next to the waterfall, giving you plenty of opportunity to see it cascade down the mountainside. There is even a small pool formed about halfway up that allows you to shower off the sheen of sweat you gained while walking from the parking lot.
The next mile or so of the trail is a series of switchbacks at a moderate grade. Slowly it rises up the side of the mountain offering increasingly impressive views into the valley below. The trail is narrow but not in a way that makes the hike particularly daring. The switchbacks seem to go on for quite a while and you’ll likely need to take a breather or six depending on your fitness level. Eventually the trail seems to end somewhat abruptly at a large boulder than must be scaled to continue. Once you hit this point, there is a final steep stretch with almost no discernible trail. Just head up the path of least resistance and you’ll finally reach my favorite part of the whole trail. The Garden of Eden
The Garden of Eden
Once you crest the ridge after completing the switchbacks, the second surprise is only a short distance. As you descend into the small valley near the mountain’s summit, a stream so serene it seems out of place greets you at the entrance to a shockingly green meadow. Truly a “wow,” moment for us white folk. During certain times of the year, the meadow is covered in wildflowers. Of course, no one knows when this will happen. When it does there’s a chance that the entire flower population will be wiped out by a vicious hailstorm at any moment.
The trail levels for about a mile through the meadow. It winds across the stream multiple times, crossing bridges of varying levels of engineering, and providing plenty of opportunities for photos. There are several smaller waterfalls along this stretch too. The water varies based on the time of year and is part of the controlled flow from Catamount Reservoir.
It can be tempting to want to conquer the trail at this point. Especially after getting the two most difficult parts of the journey out of the way, but slowing down is highly recommended. There are fewer places this tranquil in the entire state. Also, there is one final incline you must conquer before you reach the end. Weary legs and thin air make it much harder than it looks. Rest up.
The slight feeling of disappointment that might hit you after leaving the meadow, is short-lived. After a short walk on a dirt road, the final incline comes into view. It winds around a small pond and a large concrete structure that’s part of the reservoir itself. It doesn’t look too steep, but it is. One to two breaks before you reach the top of the 50-yard stretch are expected. Seriously, it’s basically a staircase.
The Final Stretch
The final and biggest surprise greets you at the top. The view is so striking it can feel like walking into a painting. Catamount Reservoir itself. A glimmering alpine lake surrounded by evergreen trees and smooth beaches. Massive snow-capped peaks overlook the whole scene creating an image so still and beautiful that your eyes will naturally flick between the mountains, the lake, the tree, the mountain, the lake, and the trees over and over again until you realize that taking in everything at once is impossible. A walk around the reservoir may be next on the agenda. But sitting on the beach and staring until your eyes hurt is equally worthwhile.
Even if the ascent took longer than you expected, the way back can be completed in roughly ¼ the time. It would be smart to slow down enough to appreciate the bubbling stream and rock formations you were too tired to notice on the way up.
Before long the switchback will greet you once again, only less menacing this time. Then the waterfalls that you spent so much time admiring at first will also come into view. Inevitably less impressive the second time around, but calming and beautiful nonetheless. Finally, the long steep gravel driveway will give you one last challenge. Even going downhill, the hill is steep enough to cause further burning in your thighs. But keeping an eye out for Bigfoot is usually enough to keep your mind off the pain.
There are plenty of things to do nearby if you’re unwilling to let the day end just yet. Although there is admittedly nothing in the immediate town of Green Mountain Falls. Old Colorado City and Manitou Springs offer plenty of festivities in the summer month to bring you down easily. Anything to make that mountain feeling last.
If you don’t have the time to hike your way to Catamount Reservoir, you can always drive. Although not nearly as pretty, it still offers plenty of views. A leisurely float on the reservoir in a kayak is a wonderful experience.