I’ve now seen two miles of the 468-mile Colorado Trail. They were two of the best I’ve hiked.

When your hike begins at a creek – a rolling, tumbling creek – you know you are in for something good.

Bonus: Chalk Creek, where segment 14 of the Colorado Trail begins, is larger than any body of water I’ve encountered on a New Mexico Trail, excepting the Gila River.

Chalk Creek tumbles cold and clear through a grove of aspens. A few were already beginning to turn, and as we climbed, small patches of yellow dotted the hillside.

Behind us, the Chalk Cliffs soared white.

When we reached the highest point of the hike, we could see caves in the cliffs – even a pair of caves that looked like a face.

The task at hand, though: a parade of switchbacks rising 1,000 feet in a mile and change. I was panting the whole time. Impressively, a woman from sea level arrived at the top just after we did.

The most dramatic view I’ve seen on a hike awaited us there, at 9,500 feet. The Collegiate Peaks towered above, green and gray, sloping into a deep crevasse below. One level down from those peaks, the Chalk Cliffs. Behind us, blue and green rolling back to the Arkansas River Valley.

We lingered there for nearly an hour, then navigated the steep way down.

We relaxed at the creek for another 45 minutes, dipping sweaty hands and feet into its cool, mossy flow.

With the robust creek and commanding views, this was easily one of the most spectacular hikes I’ve taken so far. It’s challenging (I respectfully disagree with the Mellow Mountain Hikes guidebook’s “easy” rating), but it’s doable and enjoyable for a visitor to the area.

We left as faraway thunder echoed down the creek. Storms drenched the peaks above us as we drove back to Salida.

Hike length: 4 miles

Difficulty: a solid moderate in my book

Trail traffic: light

Wildlife spotted: Abert’s squirrels and black Abert’s squirrels on the road, chipmunks, vulture, nuthatch, bluebirds, Stellar’s jay, mockingbird

TIP: Mount Princeton Hot Springs is just a few miles from this hike. We passed it up on a hot day at high elevation, but it would sure feel good to soak after tackling those switchbacks.