Attractions and Places To See in Chaffee County - Top 20

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Lake Ann is an amazing alpine lake just below Lake Ann Pass. It sits above treeline and there a just a few spots to pitch a tent that are kind of sheltered. You can pitch next to a small stream in a ditch or hike a little further along the south shore towards a rocky incline with some trees to find suitable spots to spend the night.

Buena Vista is a small town right on the Arkansas River at the base of the Collegiate Mountains. It is popular with outdoor enthusiasts for its access to rafting, hiking, cycling, and rock climbing. Main Street is just east of the Arkansas River and has coffee shops, gear stores, restaurants, and other local boutiques. The Buena Vista Roastery is a favorite among locals and visitors alike and a great place to stop for a post (or mid!) ride latte.

Buena Vista is a small town right on the Arkansas River at the base of the Collegiate Mountains. It is popular with outdoor enthusiasts for its access to rafting, hiking, cycling, and rock climbing. Main Street is just east of the Arkansas River and has coffee shops, gear stores, restaurants, and other local boutiques. The Buena Vista Roastery is a favorite among locals and visitors alike and a great place to stop for a post (or mid!) ride latte.

There are the remnants of some old mining cabins on the trail. Some are actually still in decent condition. There are some schools of thought that claim these cabins were lived in by workers on the Midland Railroad instead of miners. As the trail moves west, it enters into a few small clearings that offer great lookouts into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness on the other side of the valley. The Collegiate Peaks include a number of 14ers, and you can see up to 10 of the summits from this trail on a clear day.

At 13,326 feet, West Buffalo is just barely the highest of the two peaks. The ridge walk between the two summits is never more intricate than class 2 moves but does require some route finding and boulder hopping. Not a lot of running happens on the peaks or the ridge, but the lower trails offer awesome singletrack. The views from the top of West Buffalo Peak gives you the eagle's eye over all the land nearby. Across the valley you will be able to see a number of 14ers in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness, and to the east you can see Pikes Peak (on a clear day).

At the trail junction of the Colorado Trail and the Willis Gulch cutoff trail (coming directly from Willis Gulch Trailhead), there is a bridge crossing the creek running down from Willis Lake. In the spring and early summer months, this "creek" is somewhat raging and is a beautiful cascade from the upper alpine lake all the way down to Lake Creek. The Willis Gulch has a flat section leading to this bridge, but the Colorado Trail merges here in the middle of a big climb/descent. If traveling up to Hope Pass from Willis Gulch Trailhead, this is the last real "resting spot" before getting to the pass.

Mount Princeton is an often underrated 14er in terms of difficulty. At 14,196 feet, Mount Princeton is located in the heart of the Sawatch Range and is one of the rockiest peaks in the range. The final two miles up to the peak heavily consists of talus hopping and steep scree hiking. There is not much exposure, but making progress on this peak is tedious. The views from the top are great, like any other Colorado 14er. Don't plan to make up a lot of time on the initial downhill from the peak (or along the ridge until you hit the road). The talus and scree move underfoot a bit, and it's easy to fall through some of the cracks.