Description

With most of the foothills trails open to mountain bikes, and some even open to motorized use, it's nice to have a trail that's designated only for pedestrians.

What's even better about this one is that it's really never crowded, thanks to its length and its position higher in the hills away from town.

Hike a ways on this trail, and you are pretty much guaranteed a solitary experience in nature. Over the course of the trail it gains quite a bit of elevation, but the incline is gradual for the most part.

You could lessen the mileage by hiking a shorter out and back, or by using two vehicles and shuttling for a one-way hike.

Keep in mind that the dirt road is rather rough, however, and maybe not suitable for all cars. The trail follows the creek of Hull's Gulch, which flows with water from snowmelt in winter and spring.

The rest of the year it's usually dry, but always supports a lot of greenery in the gulch.

This foliage, along with surrounding hillside prairie and granite boulders, make excellent habitat for wildlife.

Among the wildflowers and rock formations you're sure to see a variety of insects, and you may also see larger residents like birds of prey, mule deer, or coyotes.

There are many interpretive signs along the path that explain facts about geology, history, and ecology of the area as well. Note that there is more than one way to access this trail.

As mapped here, it begins from the large parking area along Sunset Peak Road.

Alternatively, you could start from a pullout a bit farther up the road, or from the upper trailhead which is much farther up the road.

You could even make a longer hike by starting with Lower Hull's Gulch instead. Source: https://www.ridgetorivers.org/