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Hidden Valley

Rating: 
One-way Distance: 1.2km
Difficulty: Moderate
XC Skill level:
Elevation: 9545 - 9586 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 30 mins.
Trailhead: Priest Lake Nordic Trails
Fee: $15 donation
Attractions: Groomed trail




The Hidden Valley trail is located in the Priest Lake Nordic Trails area near Telluride, Colorado. The lower end of the trail begins near the trailhead where it travels through a secluded area with several steep hills that lead in and out of a little valley where there is a small creek. The upper end of the trail comes to an end when it reaches Priest Lake trail near its midpoint.


This post begins at the upper end of the trail and follows it back toward the trailhead.


The trail starts out easy enough as it heads off in the direction of the trailhead.


At first the hills that come up have only minor elevation changes with grades of 5% or less.


As the trail approaches the creek the hills become much steeper.


At the bottom of one of the steepest hills there are trees on either side of the trail with large pads around them. There is also an alternate route that is straighter and avoids the turn between the trees.


One person rips down the hill on skates and the next pauses at the top and then snowplows down.


The creek runs through a culvert making it easier to cross if you are going fast than the bridge near the campground.


The last part of the trail levels off and gets easy.


At one spot some elk had crossed the trail. They were out of sight but you could hear them snapping tree branches.


The Hidden Valley trail signs all have the trail rated blue. With the grade getting as high as 22% on one of the hills we added a black diamond because in our opinion that made it more advanced. We saw a couple of rippers that probably thought the steeper hills only made it more fun. I'll admit to biffing it in one spot but in my defense the trail was pretty icy in a few places and I wasn't the only one caught off guard. Hidden Valley is definitely one of the prettiest trails in the area. If you would like to see it for yourself then all you have to do is 'Take a hike'.