Yowza, what a hike! When my husband said we were going straight to the top of a mountain, I honestly didn't fully believe him. The trail up Coliseum Mountain starts at a trailhead with a large gravel parking lot with bathrooms and a trail map marker. It's an approximately 14 km round trip hike (~700 m elevation), and with breaks to rest and eat it took us just under 6.5 hours. There are two trails, the Coliseum Trail and the Ridgeline Trail. We did the Coliseum Trail, which was well marked, but we talked to other hikers who had friends who ventured off to find the Ridgeline Trail and got quite turned around. On a warm day we finished all our water and food with 3 km left on the way down, so bring more than you think you'll need, the hike up is taxing.
The first 5 km of the trail is straight up, with switchbacks winding through the forest. The trail is well maintained but with lots of roots and rocks. This is not a trail to do in sandals or sneakers, make sure you do it in proper hiking shoes or boots with firm soles. Once you get to the top, you have to traverse over to the second mountain peak. Part of this is on the side of the mountain with a scree slope trail, and I really hated that particular section. It was about 10 minutes to traverse, but I needed to go very slowly and carefully to manage my anxiety. I know people have done this trail with pets and children, so comfort here is really up to the individual.
The views from the top are spectacular, and truly something I have never experienced. You feel like you can see the whole world around you, and it was totally worth the work to get up and down to the summit. The section between the two peaks is a semi-flat trail with outstanding vistas, and doesn't take as long as you would expect. I would highly recommend this hike for anyone who is wanting an adventure, and is fit enough to comfortably climb for hours. read more
