8th Street Interpretive Trail

Review

To access Ridge to Rivers Trail #0, drive high up into the foothills to the 8th Street ATV Trailhead parking lot, a large parking area with a composting toilet. The 8th Street Interpretive Trail leaves from north end of the parking lot and follows a hillside with the narrow creek canyon cutting Hulls Gulch below. Passing through one other parking area, the trail slowly descends to the creek at an intersection with Upper Hulls Gulch Trail. Far from the main trails behind Camel’s Back, the Interpretive Trail sees much less traffic than its more convenient sibling trails below.

Continuing up canyon, the trail meanders alongside the seasonal creek, climbing gently and with intermittent shade provided by willows. After crossing several lovely bridges, the trail becomes steeper, climbing higher and crossing back and forth from one side of the gulch to the other.

A “Y” intersection clearly marked with a very large - and unusual for the Foothills – sign offers options to go very steeply up towards the road, or continue along the creekside trail. Choose your path – this lollipop loop will bring you back to where you stand after a big climb in one direction or the other.

After the loop of the lollipop, continue back the way you came, now with views of the valley below. Spring is a beautiful time to hike when trees and bushes unveil many bright shades of green; in fall this hike explodes with gorgeous golden colors; and after the first few snows before the road closes, the trail hints at the magic of coming winter.