60 Hikes within 60 miles: Denver and Boulder” by Kim Lipker
“Raven’s Roost Oxen Draw Loop is a straightforward up-and-down hike with an additional steep climb to the Eagle View Trail overlook. There is a great view of the South Platte area from this vantage point.”
Book Stats:
- Length: 3.7 miles
- Configuration: Loop
- Exposure: Mostly Shaded
- Difficulty: Moderate
- Hiking Time:1.75 Hours
- Elevation: 7100-8200 feet
My Stats:
- Total Distance: 4.94 miles round trip
- Time: 2:12:30
- Elevation: 7,114-7,999 feet = 1,273 feet
There is no trail signage from the parking area and you should turn right immediately before the park sign. After that, the signage is pretty good and you don’t need a map.
The first 3/4 of a mile is pretty steep and this is a great “Am I ready to hike with the big boys” test of your fitness level. As the first real hike in over two years, I sucked. I did find my groove once I got over that little hurdle. The map in the book is incomplete or incorrect. Eagle’s View trail doesn’t end. It keeps going in a loop back to a junction between Raven’s Roost Trail and Oxen Draw Trail. If I were to do this again, I would keep going on Eagle’s view until it met Oxen Draw and make it a nice loop trail. I ended up hiking an extra mile or two waiting for the trail to end.
There were tons of raspberries and flowers along the trail and the view was amazing.
