Bright Extension Trail

If you and your pupster are looking for a new hike in the Rocky Mountains, the Bright Extension Trail starts at the Bright Extension Trailhead on Johnny Park Road (Forest Road 118) in Meeker Park by Allenspark, Colorado. The trailhead is not so easy to spot as it is only marked by a small sign on a minor saddle. Although this is not a long hike, it is rather rugged, and you and your canine kid will need to do some vigorous hiking to get through it. Make sure you wear the proper footwear and protect your pup’s paws as well, because it can get rocky and icy in the higher elevations. 

In the first mile of the Bright Extension Trail, you will drop gently into a wooded plateau in the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests and the Rocky Mountains. After that, the trail takes a steep drop into a dry creek drainage on a slope that faces the south, and it can be a very hot climb out if you visit in the summertime. A lot of the trail has eroded during floods, so many who hike here suggest that you bring a trekking pole. 

There is no bridge at the end of the Bright Extension Trail for you to cross the North Saint Vrain Creek, so turning back here is recommended. There are also no restrooms on the Bright Extension Trail, and you will have to treat any water for drinking if you are lucky enough to find some. It is best if you bring plenty of H20 for you and your fur buddy rather than relying on finding drinkable water. 

The Bright Extension Trail has a lot of wild critters running around, and since this is a path that is not as pupular as many, they may not be as shy as you would expect. You will most likely come across some sheep, mule deer, elk, rabbits, squirrels, moose, and even some bears and mountain lions. Please keep your four-legged friend on a lead and do not let them harass the wildlife. You and your canine kid will want to come back often as this is a pawsitively gorgeous trip that is worth the workout.