Let me start off by saying that this trail is very steep!  It starts off somewhat flat but then it quickly climbs and climbs until the summit.  By about 15 minutes into the hike I was sweating pretty good and I had to take off my jacket even though it was hovering around 40 degrees.

The parking lot for the Mt. Aire trailhead is kinda small but there is extra parking across the street if needed.  There is a pit-style outhouse and some dog bags to use so you can pick up after your dog while hiking.  I noticed that this trail is very popular with people and their dogs.  I found more than 10 dog poop bags littered on the trail and there was only me and some random person hiking it.  If you are going to hike with your dog don’t be a jerk, just pick it up and pack it out so the rest of us don’t step in it while we are taking pictures…

The trail begins without gaining in too much elevation and it was nice to just leisurely hike and take it all in.  I really liked hiking next to Elbow Fork creek for a good portion of the way too.  Also, you could smell fresh pine trees and needles for a good chunk of your hiking too!

The trail winds below these tall pine and aspen trees.  I should have hiked a few weeks earlier because there is this one hillside that is completely covered in aspen trees.  By the time I hiked this there were only a few trees left with leaves on them.

You will quickly come to a fork in the trail.  The right trail leads to Lambs Canyon and the left trail continues on to Mt. Aire.

After this, you will come to the first wood bridge.  Cross over and continue on up the trail.  This is where it will get steeper!  Press forward!

You will come to another short bridge.  Elbow Fork Creek will be on your left side while you hike to the mountain saddle.

It was very peaceful here and I quite enjoyed the fact that this trail isn’t as busy or popular as the other ones in Mill Creek Canyon.  I didn’t see too much wildlife either except for a grouse which I spooked out of the bushes as I was walking by.  I found signs of moose in the mud as it tromped along the trail too.  I guess it’s good to remember that even though it may not seem like it, this is moose country too!

I kept finding these small black and blue dog poop bags all over the trail.  It was bad enough that I kept stepping in dog poop that weren’t in bags…

Keep hiking up until you come to the mountain saddle which is at about the 1 mile marker of this trail.

Once you arrive at the saddle you will see the trail splits to the left or right.  The left eventually goes to the top of the ridge and perhaps goes down to Grandeur Peak??  The right trail for sure goes up to Mt. Aire.  I spent some time here taking pictures of the incredible surroundings!

Take the right trail and you will begin your first set of switch backs!  Don’t worry, these aren’t too steep but the trail is more narrow here.  And honestly, the trail was not all that pretty but the views the trail offered were absolutely amazing!



You will have about .75 more miles to hike until you summit Mt. Aire.

Even though it was kind of cloudy, I got a great shot of Mt Olympus to the south.

By now, my shirt was soaked with sweat and it was getting windy!  So I picked up the pace to get to the summit!  I was almost there by this point.

When I was just about to reach the top I hiked to a ledge where I could almost see into Summit Park.

Almost there…

Finally made it! It was freezing!  I couldn’t stay too long because I just had a thin windbreaker jacket and a tshirt underneath.  The summit is unassuming and not as majestic as some of the other peaks in the area but it offers some pretty dang incredible views.

It was time to head down before I started freezing to death!  By now, the sun was beginning to set and I tried to get some photos of the last of the leaves on the trees.