Enjoy the great outdoors and watch the onset of Autumn on the beautiful Ptarmigan Trail in Silverthorne, Colorado. This stunning route offers a breathtaking journey through incredible mountain landscapes. As you ascend, you’ll first wind through a mix of sagebrush flats and aspen groves, transitioning into a dense pine and subalpine forest. Once you emerge above the treeline, the world opens up to vast expanses of alpine tundra, adorned with resilient wildflowers in summer. The route ends at a bench overlooking the town of Silverthorne.

WHO: All Cornell Alumni and their Friends and Family.

WHEN: Sunday, September 21st at *9:30 AM. We will wait for about 15 minutes if anyone is late before setting off unless called.

WHERE: Silverthorne, CO 80498. From I-70 take Exit 205, Silverthorne/Dillon, and travel north on HWY 9 for approximately 0.2 miles to the intersection of Wildernest Drive/Rainbow Drive, (Wendy’s is on the corner). Turn right onto Rainbow Drive and then right onto Tanglewood Lane. Follow Tanglewood Lane to Ptarmigan Trail Rd and turn right. Follow this road for approximately 0.8 miles to the trailhead parking, which is on the right side of the road. The trail starts across the road from the parking area. There are arrows to guide you to the trailhead from the parking area through the private homes.

WHAT: A moderate difficulty, out-and-back hike.

https://www.fs.usda.gov/r02/whiteriver/recreation/ptarmigan-peak-th-35

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/ptarmigan-trail

Important Notes:
Fall hiking is a very popular activity in beautiful Colorado!  This trail was selected to maximize autumnal views/leaf peeping.

(1) Trailhead Parking: We encourage guests to consider car-pooling. There is a moderate amount of parking at the trailhead and we encourage guests to arrive by 9am to maximize chances of securing a space. 

(2) Alternative Parking: There is a large parking lot at the Mountain Valley Inn & Suites (560 Silverthorne Ln, Silverthorne, CO 80498).  Ample, free parking is typically available here.  From the parking lot to the trailhead it is an approximately .75 mile walk (moderate uphill), or  ~20 minutes.  Another reason we encourage guests to arrive by 9am is to allow for time to park in this lot.

(3) Lyft & Uber: Lyft and Uber are widely available in Silverthorne and guests may also consider using a rideshare from the parking lot at the Mountain Valley Inn & Suites.