Trail Information
Trail Name: Alderfer Three Sisters Trail
Location: Evergreen, Colorado
Date: February 01, 2020
Time at the Trail Head: 7:15 am
Trail Length: 6.7 miles
Elevation Gain: 1,200 feet
Elev. at Trail Head: 7,480 feet
# of Hikers Passed: 47
# of Mnt. Bikers Passed: 5
# of Horses Passed: 0
Mosquitoes: 0
Trail Research
A friend at work recommended another trail to me and it was the Alderfer Three Sisters Trail. He had also suggested the Chief Mountain Trail that we hiked a few months ago.
I pulled the trail up on my AllTrails app and found that the length and difficulty was in the range that was good for our group, so we got our gear together and headed to the trail.
Drive to the Trail
The drive from Denver, through Indian Hills and Evergreen is an incredible beautiful and relaxing drive. These Rocky Mountains spectacular, especially as the sun is rising in the east.
My Day on the Trail
We arrived at 7:15 am and were about 5th vehicle there. It’s always good to arrive early to a trail in Colorado, because when we left, the parking lot was full and there were about 40 cars parked on the side of the road, and a local sheriff there to give everyone tickets.
The trailhead is paved, easy to reach and has one of the nicest bathroom facilities of any trailhead I have visited. It is still an outhouse, but it is a really nice outhouse.
The trail was well maintained and beautiful from the beginning to the end. It was a crisp 35 degree morning, the sky was mostly sunny and the early morning light on the trail is something you need to experience for yourself.
There are some incredible rock formations on this trail but they only get better as you hike to the north towards the Three Sisters.
The trail is actually pretty easy to hike, as there are no extreme steep sections. It wasn’t long before we were near the top. My son decided to scramble up a cool looking rock face while the two older, and smarter, guys took the longer, more relaxing route.
A lot of the trail still has snow and ice so make sure to bring your ICETrekkers.
- Shoe grips designed to provide aggressive traction in winter walking conditions
- Made of case-hardened steel alloy and strung on steel aircraft cable
- Riveted to tough rubber sling that fits tennis shoes, boots and dress shoes
- Sling remains elastic even in subzero temperatures to keep grips secure
- Self-clearing design prevents snow and ice buildup
We finally reached the summit at around 8,500 feet and were rewarded with some outstanding views of the area.
It was a windy day so we didn’t stay long on the summit but there is a loop at the top and it took us to another area with great views of Mount Evans and a gorgeous valley below us.
We started to encounter a lot more hikers going back down the trail and a lot more mountain bikers than I thought. We made our way around the west side of the trail to the north and came upon a beautiful valley with an old farm and great looking barn, which turned out to be the Alderfer Ranch.
The Alderfer Ranch Barn is fantastic looking. I just wish I could have one like it on my ranch some day.
We continued on towards the Three Sisters and the rock formations got even better.
We headed up a gradual incline, up to the high point in the trail, and passed several rock climbers heading for their destinations. This area is surrounded by incredible rock formations.
We soon started heading down the trail and had some gorgeous views towards the east and the city of Evergreen.
There are awesome rocks and views all the way back to the trailhead.
There’s even a rock with a smiley face on it.
I have mentioned the views and the incredible rock formations, but the forest is also beautiful.
Trail Recommendations
The Alderfer Three Sisters Trail can get a little busy, so it’s good to get to the trailhead early, but I saw young children, families, experienced rock climbers and more mature hikers. There are many trails in the area so you can find the perfect trail for you.
Evergreen, Colorado
We finished off our hike with a quick drive around Evergeen Lake, followed by a relaxing lunch at the Little Bear Saloon.
We really enjoyed the burgers at the Little Bear Saloon, and there was some live music for lunch. You should stop by and visit.
We had a great day on the trail and a relaxing time in Evergreen after that to help wind down and hopefully get rid of that soreness and hunger.
Check out this short video of the Alderfer Three Sisters trail on YouTube.
I would love to know if you have had any experience on this trail or have other trails you love to hike. Leave a Comment Below or send me an Email.
Return to Home Page
Alderfer Three Sisters Trail
Pros
- Beautiful Scenery
- Well Maintained Trails
- A Trail for Everyone
- Great Rock Formations
- Near Evergreen Colorado
Cons
- Can be Crowded
Hey you have really done a great job here, the descriptions and the extensive photography are just tremendous. I really did enjoy reading it.
You said in your article that you thought this was suitable for all types of trail walker competence (you saw families walking)
Do you have any other recommendations in the state where I could take a family of pre and on the cusp teenagers, that would be challenging but achievable please.
Thanks
Hamish
The Elk Meadow Trail, also in Evergreen would be a great trail.
Here are some other trails that would be good:
1. Castlewood Canyon State Park
2. Roxborough State Park
3. Golden Gate Canyon State Park
4. Spruce Mountain Trail, near Larkspur, Colorado.
5. Homestead and Mesa Trail, near Boulder, Colorado.
There are thousands of other trails but these would be good to look at.
Rick
The pictures you took while on the Alderfer Three Sisters trail in Colorado are really good. The place is so beautiful. I can just imagine the feel of that crisp, clean air on your face during your morning hike. Must have been wonderful.
I was wondering though, with that trail being in the forests and all. Wasn’t there a risk of probably encountering some sort of wild animals? I’m not really all that familiar with trail hiking but if i remember correctly there are some Mountain Lions in the Colorado area. Isn’t thar right?
How do they keep hikers from running into a potentially dangerous animal?
There are mountain lions here, bears, moose, rattlesnakes and more that people need to be concerned about. However, I have hiked many trails alone and with groups over the past 30 years or more and I have seen a few tracks but have never seen anything other then a rattlesnake.
I believe you should always have some way of protecting yourself and hiking with a group is better then hiking alone.
The Alderfer Three Sisters Trail is in a heavily trafficked area so the chances of running into dangerous animals are most likely less then when you’re hours into the Rocky Mountains, with very few people around.
I also always carry a satellite messenger so I can message family and friends and call for a rescue team if I am in a life-threatening situation.
I hope that helps. Let me know if you have any other questions.
Rick