April is the shoulder season for hiking along the Front Range. Many high-elevation trails are still choked by snow. Others at lower elevations are muddy. Meadows are still brown and dormant; trees haven't budded out.

But some of Colorado's most intriguing natural features are untouched by the seasons, the petrified redwood trees at Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument among them.

A part of the National Park System, the fossil beds feature one of the most diverse fossil deposits in the world, dating back 34 million years.

The petrified tree stumps up to 14 feet wide are the centerpiece of this park, but area residents are fans of its trail system, too. More than 14 miles of trails meander across 6,000 acres.

Among the best: Boulder Creek Trail, a 3.2-mile loop that takes hikers through the monument's broad valley, past a pond and house-size granite boulders, and ending in a forest of ponderosa, Douglas fir, blue spruce and aspen. The trail starts at the visitor center and is well-signed. In the springtime, this hike offers a panoramic view of the rounded top of Pikes Peak. In the summer, a riot of wildflowers will turn your attention from the horizon.

At a glance

* What: Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument, a 6,000- acre National Park Service property

* Where: southwest of Colorado Springs.

* To get there: From Denver, take Interstate 25 south to Colorado Springs. Take the U.S. 24 exit and drive 35 miles to the town of Florissant. Turn left on Teller County Road 1 and follow signs to the visitor center.

* Watch for: elk, tiger salamanders, Abert's squirrels, bobcats, black bears and porcupines.

* Difficulty of hike: The 3.2-mile loop is rated easy. For a longer hike, hook up with other trails that take hikers past the monument's historic Hornbek Homestead.

* Details: entrance fee $3 per person; free for children 16 and younger. The monument is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. It's open to hikers only; dogs and bicycles aren't allowed on the trails. A visitor center and outdoor exhibit area are wheelchair-accessible, and the Ponderosa Loop Trail is a fully accessible self-guided nature trail. This is a great first hike for children.

* More information: nps.gov/flfo, 1-719-748-3253