Hitch hiking to Bailey from Segment 4 TH
Has anyone done this? Was it hard to get to/from the trail?
I never hitched from Baily, but I hitched from Twin Lakes to Breckenridge very easy. I have a hiker to town/trail bandana and waited about 20 minutes for a ride. The others I spoke with on the trail had similar results anywhere close to the CT.
When I went through there, there were a dozen day hiker/ mountain biker cars in the parking lot. I suppose one could wait around until they started getting back and ask. Most would be going in that direction. Otherwise, it's just a parking lot on a not much more then a jeep road until it connects with CR68, so there isn't any traffic to speak of. Whether there is anyone parked there when you go through is hit or miss. But it's only an eight mile walk
Not much reason to go to Baily anyway. I did make a stop in Jefferson. Not much there - just a gas station, small store, a road side food stand and some shacks which passed as houses. But it was easy to get in and out of. In fact the guy who gave me a lift to the store hung around and drove me and another couple back to the pass. I hadn't planned on going to Jefferson, but I showed up at the campground with no water and the campground had just shut down for the season and turned their water off. So, hitched to "town" got water, a sandwich for dinner and some snacks. That really helped with the last leg to Breck, as it was taking a day longer then I had thought it would.
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I didn't go into Baily on my thru hike - agree that Jefferson would be the easier hitch (although I didn't go there either). In general with the exception of hitching into Lake City which took a LONG time, I found hitchhiking in Colorado to be quite easy and never waited too long.
I hit Bailey on day 2 mid day this July...had to get off trail to board pup who trashed his pads in burn area....I hitched after about 45 minutes as is a popular lake that uses same road. The hostel in Bailey will pick up free if staying. Supposedly have cell service if you walk about .25 mile up road from TH....I burned a day catching a pricy uber to and from Breck to board pup. I’m actually hoping to pick up in Breck where left off this June if snow levels not to high...my kid is a skate rat who went to woodward skate camp in PA last summer but wants to go to woodward just off trail @ Copper mtn this year ...trying to work that angle!!! I guess would be a thru with a feeeeew hundred zeros...
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Any anecdotal info on that road should include day of week. I've probably driven that road 100 times, lots to do back there. On weekdays, you in the road and might not see any cars. On weekends, in the summer and early fall, it will be downright crowded.
If you use hostel shuttle, arrange ahead of time because coverage is pretty weak. Texts might go from various spots.
Woops, should be you OWN the road on weekdays...
Bailey, CO and the "Hostel" came up previously at WhiteBlaze.
I just refreshed my memory. There is still no ONLINE mention of a HOSTEL in or near Bailey, CO.
Anyone with knowledge of said hostel please share a link. Anyone wishing to stay at the HOSTEL should verify by phone prior to arriving in Bailey.
Saltysack???? I reckon you know. Help us out. Please.
Wayne
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http://www.lynwoodparkbailey.com/Originally Posted by Venchka
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Website not showing bunk room or good good resupply they offered last July. Nice people and clean facilities....not sure why not advertised as hostel as had bunk rooms and resupply....
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Thanks! The web pages are unchanged from the last time we talked about the place. Bookmarked for future use.
Wayne
I don't recommend a hitch into jefferson to resupply- as of 2017 the store is closed. There's not much there beyond a food stand or 2 and perhaps a place selling coffee.
Well, then that's a disappointment. I'm not surprised though. Tough place to make a living. The food stands were closed when I was there a week after Labor day weekend 2016, so they might not be a reliable meal either.
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whoops, looks like i'm wrong. the jefferson market has reopened under new owners after being closed all summer: http://jeffersonmarket17.com/
I wish them well! A grocery store in the middle of nowhere is a Godsend! Atlantic City, WY comes to mind.
Wayne
US 285 through Jefferson is a major highway, so it makes sense to have a store there, good news that it's open again, makes a Bailey stop moot for CT hikers.
I feel the same way about the little grocery at Twin Lakes. Nice people, super helpful accepting packages at no charge, and they're probably on the edge of profitability much of the year...
coffee: twin lakes store is closed during the winter- they're only open when independence pass is open- almost all of their business is from people driving/riding bikes/riding motorcycles to/from aspen via independence pass. hikers, too.
to the op- i don't recommend resupply in bailey- there's only a gas station for resupply, it's kind of a pain to get to/from the trailhead, and it's close enough to breck/frisco or denver depending on which way you're hiking that it doesn't really break up a long section by any means. pretty easy hiking in either direction, too.
Be very careful hitching into Bailey via the improved gravel forest road as you might find it easy getting a ride ONLY one way, like into town (small town with limited services). Colorado Rob is right about the traffic. It's often an easier hitch into Jefferson or from Kenosha Pass. Did you know you can hike into Bailey? Mags details the trail at his site. Hiked down this trail once about 3 miles and then turned around.
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