This Is the Most Claustrophobic Hike in Colorado—Would You Try It?

Surprisingly, if you're looking for a claustrophobic hike in Colorado, you might have a hard time finding one. Colorado has more than 39,000 miles of hiking trails, believe it or not, but most offer wide-open passages to rivers, lakes, streams, and mountaintops.

However, if you're looking for a trail with some tight spaces to pass through, then you'll really love the Lemon Squeezer to Pete-E-Kes Trail near Grand Junction. Even though the trail itself is wide open, you can practice your squeezing by maneuvering your body between the rock formations you'll find on this trail. Read on to learn more about it.

The Lemon Squeezer to Pete-E-Kes Trail near Grand Junction is primarily a mountain biking trail, but you can hike it, too, and many people do. This hike is beautiful and is a great way to get out into nature without having to go too far from Western Slope population centers like Grand Junction. This loop trail is 3.6 miles in length, and you'll experience about 500 feet of elevation gain on the route. It takes most people about 90 minutes to two hours to complete this trail.

Much of this trail is wide open, too, so you won't have to worry about your claustrophobia for most of the journey. It's dry in this part of the state, so you'll want to bring plenty of water with you. In the summertime, this trail can get extremely hot due to the lack of shade, so most people prefer to hike or bike the Lemon Squeezer to Pete-E-Kes Trail in the fall or winter months.

There are lots of rock formations on this trail, and you can try your hand at squeezing between some of them. In general, this trail is considered easy due to the limited elevation gain and generally flat surface, but you and your companions will likely enjoy viewing and exploring the formations here. Don't let down your guard, though. Some areas along this hike can be a bit tricky due to slick rock and boulders on the route.

There are other trails in Colorado also called Lemon Squeezer, but those are rock climbing routes. So, if you're planning on tackling this hike, make sure you're headed to the correct trailhead. The Rough Canyon Lemon Squeezer is a very technical rock climbing route also near Grand Junction, and the Devil's Kitchen Lemon Squeezer is another difficult rock climbing route inside Colorado National Monument. Both of those rock climbing routes also offer tight, almost claustrophobic squeezes, but only very experienced rock climbers should take them on.

For regular people like you and me, the Lemon Squeezer to Pete-E-Kes Trail near Grand Junction should be enough claustrophobia for one day. Plus, it offers beautiful views and a fun time for hikers of all ages and abilities. Have a great hike!

Feeling inspired? Try planning your own trip using Only In Your State’s itinerary planner.