Boots tied. Extra layer packed. Somebody checking one last time that the snacks made it into the bag. West of Silver Plume, Bakerville is where plans for the high country start to feel real.

This former mining settlement sits near the approach to Grays and Torreys peaks, while the paved Bakerville–Loveland Trail offers another way to spend time outside. Walk or ride a stretch when conditions allow, choose your own turnaround point, and save something good to eat for afterward. The summit can be someone else’s plan.