Devils Backbone - Wild Loop and Hunter Loop
From Coloradohikingtrails
Devils Backbone - Wild Loop and Hunter Loop
The trails in the Devil's Backbone Open Space have a lot to offer: Unique geological features, sweeping vistas of the front range and of the mountains to the west, and abundant wildlife and wildflowers. With numerous hikes from family-oriented nature hikes to long-distance treks to Horsetooth Mountain Park and Lory State Park, Devil's Backbone offers most everything a hiker would want. This description covers the Wild Loop and Hunter Loop Trails, however the hikes can be extended by continuing north to the Laughing Horse Loop, and on to the Blue Sky Trail. Dogs are allowed on the trails, but they must be on-leash at all times.
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Maps & Trailhead Directions
Devil's Backbone Trailhead
Near To: Loveland, Colorado
Driving Directions To Trailhead
Take US Hwy 34 (Eisenhower) west from Loveland to Hidden Valley Drive, which is just before the old water tank on the right side of Hwy 34. The intersection is 2 miles west of the intersection of Wilson and Hwy 34 in Loveland. If you get to Glade Rd., you've gone too far. Turn right on Hidden Valley Drive, proceed north about 1/4 mile, the parking lot is to the left (at the big Devil's Backbone sign) just before the entrance to the Hidden Valley housing development. The trailhead is at the northwest corner of the parking lot. Restrooms, water and picnic tables are available at the trailhead. There are no entrance fees.
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Devil's Backbone Trailhead
Maps & Images Lat: 40.41167 Long: -105,15234
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Trail & Hike Description
The Devil's Backbone Open Space is the southern parcel of open space lands and connector trails that stretch all the way to Lory State Park. Larimer County bought this parcel to protect the unique geology and wildlife habitat. The geology is what brings many people here. The "Devil's Backbone" is an eroded rock formation on the west side of the park. The trails run along the east side of this formation. In addition to the Devil's Backbone, the area is known for its abundant wildlife and wildflowers. Mule deer, elk, bobcats, fox, and coyotes are residents of the Devil's Backbone Open Space, as are ravens, prairie falcons, golden eagles, red-tailed hawks, great horned owls and American kestrels have also been seen along the trails (the best time of day for viewing wildlife is dawn and dusk).
The abundant wildflowers include sand lilies, penstemon, sunflowers, yucca, yellow salsify, western blue flax, evening primroses, wild onions, cinquefoil, field chickweed, wavyleaf dandelion, yellow montane violets, and locoweed.
The names of the various trails in the Devil's Backbone Open Space are a little confusing. The trails extending from the Devil's Backbone Trailhead extend north continuously to Horsetooth Mountain Park via the Blue Sky Trail. However each section of the trail has a different name. The first leg of the trail is the Wild Loop Trail. It extends 1.3 miles from the Trailhead, and includes a loop made up of a western leg that runs closest to the Backbone, and an eastern leg that runs through the valley. The next segment is the Hunter Loop, which extends from the end of the Wild Loop Trail for 0.6 miles before splitting into two legs that again meet further to the northeast, creating another loop. At the far northeast end of the loop, the Laughing Horse Loop continues on, followed by the Blue Sky Trail which continues to Horsetooth Mountain Park. Along the way, the Rimrock Trail connects the Coyote Ridge Natural Area (accessed from trailhead on Taft Hill Rd. south of the Larimer County Landfill) with the Blue Sky Trail. This trail description adresses the Wild Loop and Hunter Loop Trails. The Devil's Backbone Open Space Brochure provided by Larimer County in PDF format includes a trail map that clarifies the different trail names.
At the parking lot, pick up a brochure for the "Wild Loop Interpretive Trail." There are several sign posts with numbers that correspond to information in the guide.
From the parking lot, you walk past a few picnic tables, then start climbing up the trail. For the first 0.4 miles, a ridge separates you from the Devil's Backbone, so the views are primarily of the valley and the housing development to the east. At 0.4 miles, (look for marker #2, the trail splits. This is the loop part of the trail. Go right, and you'll continue straight up the valley. Go left, and after hiking up a short rocky section of the trail, you will emerge from behind the ridge, and you'll begin to see the first section of the Devil's Backbone. The numbered sign posts also follow the trail to the left, so I recommend going on the left (west) route, and returning via the eastern trail.
The next stretch of trail provides some of the best views of the Backbone, including several openings that have eroded in the rock. Also, watch the sky as you hike, this area is known for its hawks, ravens, swallows and owls. About 1/4 mile beyond the trail split is an overlook that offers terrific views of the valley just beyond the Backbone, and of the mountain ranges to the west. Looking east and south from the overlook gives you a view of the valley you just hiked up. Looking north, you see the continuation of the valley where you'll soon be hiking, and the homes and farms that populate the valley heading north towards Masonville.
After the overlook, as you continue on the trail you'll come to another trail split. Here you can take the "keyhole" trail or the "bypass" trail. The keyhole trail climbs up to the Backbone, and is a little tougher than the bypass, but it takes you to the Keyhole, a good-sized hole that has eroded through the formation, again providing terrific views of the valleys and mountain ranges to the west. If you're hiking just the Wild Loop Trail (and not extending your hike with the Hunter Loop), the Keyhole is the highest elevation of the hike.
From the Keyhole, the trail gently descends, first intersecting with the bypass trail, and at 1.3 miles from the trailhead, meets up with the eastern leg of the Wild Loop. From here, you can turn south on the eastern leg and return to the parking lot, making this a 2.5 mile loop. Or you can turn around and return on the western leg of the trail (where you just came from), making this a 2.6 mile out-and-back hike, and giving yourself a chance to see the backbone again from a different direction. Although the eastern trail doesn't have the views of the route you came up, it is straight and mostly flat, providing the quickest way back to your car.
This point is also the beginning of the Hunter Loop Trail. If you would like to extend your hike to about 4.5 miles, continuing on is an excellent choice. Continuing north, the trail soon crosses the valley, continuing up the east side. Soon, the trail turns more to the east, and you begin a steady climb out of the valley to the ridgeline. At the top of the saddle, the trail splits, making the loop portion of the Hunter Loop. Turn right, and you'll continue south, climbing up the edge of a hill (to the highest elevation of the hike). Soon you'll turn back east again, skirting the edge of the hillside, and providing some great views of the Open Space. Soon you'll hit a split again. This is the intersection with the Laughing Horse Loop. Going right will take you to the Blue Sky Trail, going left will continue the loop and take you back to where you came from. Completing the Hunter Loop and returning via the eastern leg of the Wild Loop trail makes for a pleasant 4.5 mile hike, with two loops along the way.
External Links & References
Devil's Backbone Open Space Description on Larimer County web site.
Devil's Backbone Open Space Brochure and Trail Map on Larimer County web site (PDF file).
Devils Backbone - Wild Loop and Hunter Loop Picture Gallery
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Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |
 Devils Backbone Trailhead and parking lot |
Devils Backbone and Wild Loop Trail (Photo copyright Ron Sherwood/Sherwood Imagery) |
 Devils Backbone (Photo copyright Ron Sherwood/Sherwood Imagery) |
 Devils Backbone |
 The Keyhole in Devils Backbone |
 Trail map sign at intersection of Wild Loop and Hunter Loop Trails |
 Runners on Hunter Loop Trail north of Wild Loop |
 Looking east on Hunter Loop Trail at beginning of loop |
 Hunter Loop Trail (Foreground), Wild Loop Trail and Devil's Backbone in the distance |
 The Keyhole from the east trail of Wild Loop |
