In the winter, the Ceran St. Vrain Trail is a wooded, scenic trail with less traffic than some of the routes closer to Boulder.

The trail, named for a fur trapper and trader who worked throughout Colorado, is tucked between Jamestown and the Peak to Peak Highway. It usually has good snow because of it's location in a valley, and it is easily accessible from either Jamestown or the highway.

The trail follows upper South St. Vrain Creek, which can be exposed in some places to provide the picturesque scene of a creek rippling through white. Part of the trail follows the creek and another section runs above the creek, providing a view of the white blanket covering the valley below. Large trees along the trail often frame the view.

Just 10 or 20 yards from the parking lot, a wooden bridge crosses the creek. The trail skirts massive boulder outcroppings on the west side of the creek, cuts across steep, wooded slopes, then drops to the level of the creek.

Across the creek, columns of rock form vertical cliffs. The white snow, grey stone and blue skies can combine for a scene that makes you thankful to live in Colorado.

About 1½ miles downstream, the designated trail ends, but an old mining road heads northwest up and out of the valley.

If you still have time and energy, you can continue up the mining road and even climb Miller's Rock, southeast of Raymond. From the top of Miller's Rock, there are wonderful views of the Continental Divide, including Mount Audubon and Longs Peak.

It's not uncommon for the trail to be empty on weekdays. Maybe you can have the trail to yourself on your next trip.