Given our dry winter, I'm really glad I did my Great Colorado Waterfall Tour last year. But I figured if I was going to have any chance of seeing a waterfall in the state actually flowing briskly this year, now was it. So I headed to Staunton State Park to hike to Elk Falls.
You have to want to see this waterfall; the hike is nine miles with roughly 1,500 feet of elevation gain. It starts steep, with nice views to the southeast. The mountain in the distance with just a bit of snow still remaining is Pikes Peak.
The sun did eventually come out, but temperatures stayed cool. Really perfect hiking weather.
I'd hiked to the Elk Falls Overlook with Zak and Ginny 12 years ago, but not to the falls themselves. Elk Falls Pond is en route to both.
The final stretch of trail is a very steep third of a mile that even has a chain to grab onto for assistance at one point. The payoff, fortunately, is worth it.
