Knoll Willows Open Space Trail

Dogs No Dogs

Features River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This trail takes you on a short trip through the Knoll Willows Open Space. As you start out from behind the police station, you'll cross a small bridge over the Black Canyon Creek. Look down and you'll likely see fingerling trout hanging out behind a rock. As you progress through the willow area, be on the lookout for elk. In the spring females often bed down with fawns near the creek. You'll reach the Albert Birch cabin shortly, this cabin was built shortly after the bungalow at the crest burned out and was used by the Birch family until the 1980's

Continue following the creek for views of the Stanley Hotel and the North Trailhead. The trail will turn to the south from the parking lot with a couple of turn offs providing views to the east. As you crest the knoll, you'll find the ruins of the Albert Birch Bungalow with views overlooking Estes Park. The house burned in December of 1907, but the ruins still hold spectacular views of RMNP.

From here, the trail back to the cabin degrades to an unimproved singletrack until you arrive at the back of the lower cabin. You can follow the stream through the meadow back to the South Trailhead.

Elk, like everywhere in Estes Park, lots of elk. Trout in the stream. Locals report seeing owls, hawks, Albert's Squirrels, and ground squirrels.