Never heard of Blueberry Mountain near Weld? The trail is not heavily used — that's part of the charm for hikers who want the backcountry feel. At an elevation of 2890 feet, Blueberry Mountain is a sub-3000 foot mountain, but is well worth a day's outing. The trail winds pleasingly through forested areas, and the top has an open summit for great views. The steep part at the beginning of the trail provides a bit of a challenge, but is not rigorous. Plan approximately three hours hiking time round trip and factor in time for picnicking and mountain spotting while at the summit.
Hike Blueberry Mountain Trail
As with all hikes, just finding the trailhead is part of the day's adventure. At the intersection of State Routes 156 and 142 in Weld, continue on Route 142 toward Phillips. Travel approximately 4.3 miles and turn left at a sign for Blueberry Mountain Bible Camp. Follow this steep, gravelly road for 2 miles. It ends at the lodge for the Bible Camp, where you can park. Walk past the large, dark brown lodge and many small outbuildings to a soccer field. Cross the field to the unmarked trailhead at the forest's edge. It begins as an old logging road, but soon becomes narrower.
For hikers who prefer to gain elevation quickly, this is the trail! The initial section of the trail is quite steep, but is within the forest and not exposed to any drop-offs. However, there are a few eroded areas, and the trail could become muddy in spots following a rainstorm. Groups with young children or pets will likely found this section the most difficult of the whole trail.
Once past this steep section, the trail continues uphill over large and small rocks and through the forest, but at a more comfortable climbing pace. As hikers approach the summit, the trees thin and the path becomes slightly harder to distinguish — so follow the cairns someone has thoughtfully placed. At the summit is a huge rock cairn plus the Geological Survey benchmark.
Great views beckon from all angles, especially of Big and Little Jackson mountains to the northwest. Mount Blue is seen towards the south. On a brilliantly clear day, folks can see Mount Washington to the west in New Hampshire.
Use the Weld Area as Base for Many Outings
The Weld area is rich with outdoor recreational possibilities.
- camp at Mount Blue State Park on the west side of Webb Lake
- swim, kayak, or canoe Webb Lake
- climb Bald Mountain for great 360 degree views
- hike Mount Blue, Tumbledown, the Jacksons
- mountain bike the challenging trails near Center Hill
- watch for wildlife (moose, deer, eagles) and snap a photo
Cheryl Pratt - Cheryl Pratt has been a technical writer/graphic designer for a medical software company for the past 10 years. She has published articles ...
