Grand Escape

Dogs Unknown

Features Views · Wildflowers

Starting from the top of the Wildwood Express lift area, the Grand Escape begins just below the Wildwood Smokehouse restaurant on the front side of the ski area, just off the service road.

This well-marked, serene trail has off-the-charts fields of dense wildflowers in all varieties. The top half of this trail is the best, following just below the Eagles Nest Ridge and affording spectacular, panoramic views of the Gore Range. Once the trail crosses the Main Vail service road, it becomes doubletrack and less aesthetic, although the views to the west are still good.

After entering and exiting a few sets of trees, the trail appears to end at a service road and a nearby tubing area lift. To reach Eagles Nest and the Lionshead gondola, take a left heading up the Main Vail service road for about 20 feet and look for signs to a doubletrack leading down past Ridge Route etc. to the gondola and Eagles Nest. This can be made into a nice loop by doing Ridge Route up, and Grand Escape down.