Grand Junction Colorado Landmark Wins Game of Hide and Seek

For years now I've encouraged you to visit a Grand Junction, Colorado area landmark. It's not easy to find, even under normal circumstances. The recent snow makes the search even more fun.

In the past, I've encouraged you to visit this site after a good snowfall. There's a reason why. Right now is the perfect time to check out this Grand Junction area hike.

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This Western Colorado Fixture Has Gone Unknown

When was the last time you visited the Old Kiln? You'll find it on the way to Glade Park, just west of the Mica Mines. It seems most people are unfamiliar with it.

Better Than Ever

The fun part about hiking the Old Kiln Trail would be the namesake. The kiln itself is hard to find, even in broad daylight in the middle of summer. Add a foot of fresh snow to the mix, and you have an adventure.

A Fun Little Hike

First, the good news. The kiln is barely 1,000 feet from the trailhead. Oddly, I grew up in a house on Little Park Road only a few thousand feet from this kiln. Until recently, I had no idea it existed. As near as I can tell, the Old Kiln Trail fell into disuse and went unknown for some time.

Now the bad news. The kiln can be hard to find. It's off the main trail, hidden by trees. When you add fresh snow, it can be extremely difficult to find. I've been there many times, but even at that, I missed it during Saturday, January 1, 2021's hike. After backtracking a little, I was fortunate to find it.

During this hike, it was obvious I wasn't the first person to hit the trail. Those ahead of me, though, missed the turn to the Old Kiln. It's hard to spot.

A Great Way to Enjoy Western Colorado

The nice thing about this hike is it doesn't require much in the way of time. To top it off, there's the payoff when you find the Kiln. Looking towards this weekend, there's a slight chance of snow, but not much. Temperatures may hit the 40s by the weekend, which might mean the snow won't stick around much longer.