Hiking trails are full of walkers, runners and mountain bikers. But it’s not every day you see a hiking donkey.
Videos by Outdoors
Unsurprisingly, a donkey and his hiking companion grabbed all sorts of attention as they made their way through Colorado’s Eldorado Canyon State Park.
Watch the video of the hiking donkey:
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DPoSmSaESWm/
The video starts with the donkey and his walker standing off-trail as a smiling mountain biker passes. From there, the donkey happily makes its way down the path, grabbing smiles from onlookers who stop to pet the animal.
In the clip, we learn that the hiking donkey is five-years-old and its small size is due to being a miniature donkey.
“Interactions with people on trail,” it says along with the post. “Everyone is always so excited to see him and say hi.”
Fortunately, there are plenty of additional videos of the hiking donkey on the Instagram account: The Walking Donkey.
It’s safe to say the account has gone viral a few times, as it has more than 119,000 followers.
Seeing a donkey on the trail does sound exciting, but in Colorado, it’s also a sport. Pack burro racing essentially uses the animals for trail running. Donkeys have a long history of making it over the Rockies. The origins go back to the state’s mining days and how vital the animals were in helping get supplies in and out of the mountainous region. Plus, they’re a great companion for those looking for a four-legged hiking partner other than a dog.
Colorado even hosts the world championship of burro racing in Fairplay, which involves about 100 teams on two different courses. One race is 15 miles long, the other is a nearly 30-mile route that climbs 3,232 feet at its peak.
