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Amazing Wildlife Viewing Opportunities. Great Trout Fishing. Granite Falls (who doesn't love waterfalls?!). 10.3 Mile Out-and-Back Hike. Duration: A few hours.
The Green Mountain Trail is part of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail (CDT) which is a foot path from Mexico to Canada. Big Meadows is a great place to view elk, moose, and deer. Other animals you can see in the area are abert squirrels, river otters, weasels, and black bear.
Big Meadows is 1.8 miles from the parking lot. The first half mile is a steady and moderate incline. The trail levels out with a few short steep sections. Granite falls is just over 3 miles from big meadows. The trail is fairly flat then has a moderate incline about a half mile before the falls. This is a well marked trail which makes it easy to navigate. There are great opportunities for fly fishing in the Tonahutu Creek(I saw 20+ brook trout ranging from 6-12").
If you are looking for a longer hike, you can continue past the falls to Haynach Lakes or Flat Top Mountain which is 11.3 miles one way.
If you are looking for backpacking there are 5 back country campsites before you reach Granite Falls(Green Mountain, Big Meadows, Sunset, Sunrise, and Lower Granite Falls). For information on Rocky Mountain National Park's backcountry camping permits visit: NPS.gov
On this hike you will pass the Big Meadows burn area where 653 acres burned after lighting sparked a wildfire in 2013.
The entrance fee for Rocky Mountain National Park is $20 (I recommend purchasing an annual pass for $80, which is an interagency pass that works more than 2,000 federal recreation sites).
Leave No Trace
