Troublesome Roadless Area Trails

Troublesome Roadless Area Trails

One of the last large unprotected roadless areas in northern Colorado, Troublesome provides the crucial ecological connection between the vast reaches of Rocky Mountain National Park and the distant, rugged wild areas of the Gore and Park ranges. Some 20 miles of the Continental Divide snake through the Troublesome roadless area and the volcanic Rabbit Ears Range, but here the divide stands in marked contrast to stereotypical ideas about it. Instead of the craggy peaks that denote the divide in the nearby Indian Peaks or in the San Juan Mountains of southern Colorado, here it attains a gentle high point of 12,296 feet. This crest separates North Park from Middle Park, and the dense forests that blanket the land offer refuge to herds of mule deer and elk. Almost 88,000 acres in size, Troublesome comprises an intact block of lodgepole pine forest dissected by wide, verdant, willow-filled valleys where beavers thrive in this riparian habitat. Even more important, however, may be Troublesome’s role as the ecological link between surrounding wild areas. Scientists now know that many wide-ranging species such as grizzly bears, wolves, and wolverines depend on large isolated blocks of undeveloped land to thrive and disperse. To prevent genetic inbreeding, for example, populations require occasional infusions of new blood. If rare species ever regain a foothold in and around Rocky Mountain National Park or Mount Zirkel, their continued genetic health will depend on the ability to travel safely from one population to another. Troublesome fills that ecological role by offering a sanctuary halfway between the Front Range and the Park and Gore ranges. This trail guide includes descriptions of Elk Mountain Trail, Troublesome Access Trail/Paradise Creek, Troublesome Access Trail/Haystack Creek, and Wheatley Creek to Middle Fork to Elk Mountain.

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