Rocky Mountain National Park: Holzwarth Historic Site (Blog Hike #817)

Trail: (unnamed)
Hike Location: Rocky Mountain National Park
Geographic Location: north of Grand Lake, CO (40.37316, -105.85377)
Length: 1.3 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2020
Overview: A nearly flat but sunny hike to a 1920's dude ranch.
Park Information: https://www.nps.gov/romo/index.htm
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=824425
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: The signed parking lot for Holzwarth Historic Site is located on the west side of US 34 10 miles north of Grand Lake.  The hike begins at the far end of the parking lot.

The hike: For my general comments on Rocky Mountain National Park (known locally as "Rocky" for short), see my hike in the park's Wild Basin area.  The short and nearly flat hike described here takes you to Holzwarth Historic Site, which preserves a 1920's dude ranch.  While this route is not a classic Rocky or even national park hike, it makes an interesting hiking option if you are unable to tackle one of the area's more substantial trails.

Trailhead at Holzwarth Historic Site

            From the signed trailhead at the rear of the parking area, the short entrance trail leads you to a cabin that now serves as an interpretive station and ranger outpost.  Here the route turns right and begins following the two-track gravel road that leads to the old dude ranch.  The road takes you through a sunny meadow with a few small ponds, so be prepared for the intense high elevation Rocky Mountain sun on this hike.

A young Colorado River

            Just shy of 0.4 miles, you cross a wooden footbridge over a young Colorado River less than 10 miles from the river's source.  The river is narrow and shallow here, and the water runs clear.  Some rusty primitive farming equipment sits beside the trail.  Continuing west, where an access road used by hunters exits right, angle left to keep heading for the ranch.

Camper cabins at the Never Summer Ranch

The "Mama Cabin"

            At 0.5 miles, you reach the short loop trail that tours the Never Summer Dude Ranch.  The ranch was built by Sophia and John Holzwarth in 1917 after Prohibition closed their saloon in Denver.  Guests stayed in either the rustic cabins that still stand on this site or in a lodge that used to stand near the Colorado River.  The "Mama Cabin," built between 1917 and 1921, is the ranch's largest structure, but the ranch also includes a taxidermy shop and an ice house among other structures.  The Holzwarth family operated the ranch until the 1970's, and this site did not become part of Rocky until 1975.  After walking the short loop trail through the ranch, retrace your steps to the parking lot to complete the hike.