Maryann Gaug’s latest hiking guide, Best Hikes near Breckenridge and Vail, a Falcon guide, is a must-have guide for hiking trails in Colorado’s high country near those two famous towns. The book describes 40 hikes of varying lengths and difficulties including 18 in Summit County (Breckenridge area), 18 in Eagle County (Vail area), and four near Glenwood Springs.
Several hikes wander through old mining areas complete with relics. The Vail area in particular offers hikes with farming and ranching remains. Both the Eagles Nest and the Holy Cross wilderness areas are explored via numerous trails, where spectacular, colorful wildflowers fill high alpine meadows during the short summer months. Hikers will revel in the splendor of the rugged Gore Range and the famous Mount of the Holy Cross. The Glenwood Springs hikes include three in side canyons off Glenwood Canyon and the fourth trail leads to the site of a wildfire that killed 14 firefighters.
Each hike includes detailed directions to the trailhead, trail details, local contacts, and information about each area, which may include human history, geology, flora and fauna, and canine compatibility. Distance, difficulty, and approximate hiking times are also noted. Maryann hiked all trails using a GPS for accuracy, and GPS coordinates are listed for each trailhead and important points along the way.