Spring is well on its way, and for all you workout buffs and outdoor enthusiasts, that means it’s time to start diversifying your routine with a good, old-fashioned nature walk.

If you’re looking for something relatively close by, the BLM Bangs Canyon Management Area is an excellent option that doesn’t require a drive out to Mt. Garfield or the Grand Mesa. The area borders the Colorado National Monument’s southern tip, so you can still marvel at the unique sedimentary layering without paying the pricy toll fee.

Geology department students frequent the area for the Mica Mine, which provides them with an abundance of natural mica and quartz samples. Similarly, the biology department has been known to catch a diversity of wildlife species, including the collared lizard, which can run on its hind legs, and the rare canyon tree frog.

Rough Canyon, despite its deceptive name, is a moderately easy stroll through Bangs Canyon that leads hikers along Ladder Creek, which has been carving out rock faces for centuries.

Hikers descend into the canyon down a series of stair-like boulders, which open up at the canyon bottom. If you follow the creek upstream, you’ll eventually wind up at the previously mentioned Mica Mines. A tiny sign points in the direction of both paths to avoid confusion.

An intricate trail winds along the creek, occasionally veering off into the durable oak trees and brush as the canyon broadens. Flowing water may not be present depending on the time of year, but the more creative hiker can attempt to mimic the local mountain sheep and leap across the boulders jutting from the creek bed.

What makes Rough Canyon particularly beautiful is the series of waterfalls that mark the end stretch of the hike. The first and smaller of the two empties into a shallow pool where hikers can cool off and the more competitively inclined can attempt to scale directly back up the drop off. Luckily, most people’s cell phones pick up a couple bars of service, just in case.

Just around the corner, an even larger waterfall tumbles away from the trail. The overlook generally serves as the turn back point for most hikers, but a narrow outcrop of rock can be used as a natural pathway for the adventurous to continue their trek.

From there, where you decide to go is ultimately up to you. While a man-made trail briefly picks up after the outcrop, it quickly becomes cut off by massive metamorphic rock intrusions. Round-trip Rough Canyon takes about 2.5 hours to complete, and it’s guaranteed to leave you craving more of that natural goodness.