Meyer Ranch / Flying J Ranch

Yesterday, I went on not one but two hikes, both medium length affairs in a pair of parks about five miles from each other.   In planning my outing, I should have recognized from the park map I found online that the trail would still be covered in snow.  The entire park was on the northern slope of a small mountain.  While the trail was covered in snow it was packed down and pretty easy to walk on.  Despite a trail that climbed almost a 1,000 feet, there weren't a lot of wide-open views of the surrounding landscape.  A thick pine forest surround the trail most of the way up.  It made for a pleasant hike. I bet it would a nice cool trek on a hot summer day.

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I spent the majority of my second hike in the forest as well.  I drove to Flying J Ranch and hike the Shadow Pine Loop.  It had nowhere near the elevation change as the first.  The first part of the trail wound through a relatively young lodgepole pine forest.  The tree trunks were skinny, but more densely packed together, characteristics that gave the hike a unique feel.

Meyer Ranch Hike Statistics
Length: 4.4 miles
Ride Time: 2 hours 40 minutes
Avg. Speed: 2 MPH
Trailhead Elevation: 7,846 feet
Peak Elevation: 8,769 feet
Net Elevation Gain: 923 ft.

Flying J Ranch Hike Statistics
Length: 3.7 miles
Ride Time: 1 hours 44 minutes
Avg. Speed: 2 MPH
Minimum Elevation: 8,048 feet
Peak Elevation: 8,326 feet
Net Elevation Gain: 278 ft.


Elevation Profiles

Meyer Ranch

Flying J Ranch

Climbing Old Ski Trail - Meyer Ranch

Old Ski Run Trail View

Flying J Ranch Meadow

Shadow Pine Trail through Juvenile Forest