Take this left onto the narrow trail which heads north before curving and heading northeast the rest of the way. There are at least six false summits before you actually hit the lake, but worth every step! Park in town and take the free bus to the trailhead. Campfires are not permitted above or within .25 miles (440 yards) of treeline, or within 100' of any lake or stream in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area. Fossil Ridge is behind the lake and rises to 12,749 elevation. Fallen trees along the trail are evidence of past avalanches. This stunning 4-bedroom home was designed by Lake Flato Architects and features beautiful custom furnishings. Wildlife is abundant in the area, and you might even see some eagles nesting in the cliffs. Take a walk on the not-quite-so-wild side this summer to preserve the valleys most-hiked trails. To avoid trampling sensitive vegetation and to prevent soil erosion, please stay on the trail at all times. Took about eight hours. There are some short steep sections along the way. If you dont live here, we tip our hats to you, as the steep pitch through pines and aspens up Vail Mountain isnt for the faint of heart or the weak of lungs; after all, this is the same route elite athletes in the La Sportiva Berry Picker Trail Run follow when they scramble uphill for the ultimate title of King of the Mountain.Distance: 3.2 milesDifficulty: DifficultElevation gain: 2,200 feetGet there: From the Lionshead ski yard at the base of the Eagle Bahn, cross over the bridge and follow the trail up the east side of the Bwana ski run under the Born Free lift. Overall though insanely beautiful and a great backpacking spot. Managed by CHRISTIE'S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE ASPEN SNOWMASS, LLC Jennifer Fulton. Blodgett Lake 12. Its like youre hiking through the forest most the way, in the trees, but still lots of sun. The Deluge Lake Trail splits from the Gore Creek Trail about 0.1 mile from the Gore Creek trailhead. Difficult but not impossible, long but 100% worth it! Summit County - Eagle County - Clear Creek County, Buffalo Mountain - Lily Pad Lake Trailhead: Buffalo Mountain, +2,886' net elevation gain (+3,054' total roundtrip elevation gain), "We ended up going to Pitkin when the parking at Booth Creek was full ( terrible parking there - 8 spots). At mile 6.5 you will pass Red and White Mtn Road-FSR 734. The trail climbs through forest and meadows past Booth Falls, a 60-foot waterfall. Pitkin lake trail in East Vail, Colorado is similiar to the popular Booth lake trail in that the final destination is a scenic mountain lake. The lake is almost exactly 2 miles from the parking area. Only 1st 20 min is difficult, but you should have some hiking experience. Hike uphill through aspens and thimbleberry to an intersection with the Village to Village trail. There is a porta potty. Get a weekly dose of discounts and inspiration for adventure lovers. Walk east 1/3 of a mile up Bighorn Road (under the overpass) and you will see the Deluge Lake Trailhead first, then Gore Creek Trailhead farther down the road. First mile is little work but it levels out nicely. Booth Creek Falls, whose intertwined torrents plunge 60 feet, has earned its rep as Vails most dramaticand popularcascade. Lunch will be served. Continue up this road about 2.7 miles to an intersection with the Lost Lake Road (#786) and continue left. To access the trailhead, drive 4 blocks South to the end of 2nd Avenue from Frisco's Main Street. The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens are the world's highest botanical garden, located at 183 Gore Creek Drive, Vail, Colorado, United States, at an 8,200 feet altitude in the Rocky Mountains. Crowds:This is a very popular trail at certain times of the season and parking can be very limited. Big Spruce Lake. Missouri Lakes, Fancy Lake, Booth Lake, Pitkin Lake, Piney Lake and the Seven Sisters Lakes are a few choices that make for an unforgettable experience. Length:3.7 miles (one way)Difficulty:Moderate. The trail also passes a series of moraines (rock/sediment piles left from glacial retreats), which are always fascinating. Length:4.8 miles (one way)Difficulty:Moderate. Alpine Lake Hike If you have all day, take a classic Colorado hike to a pristine alpine lake. Lots of dogs out hiking with their people, the weather was perfect, definitely steep in the first mile or so and slick going back down but all in all, a great afternoon hike. Well worth the effort to reach the lake, which is deep and crystal clear. A bit buggy up at the lake, but nothing horrendous. It fills a large cirque just above treeline at the head of a broad, glacier-carved valley. The trail begins from the south end of the parking lot near the white house. From here the trail enters an aspen stand, and openings along the way provide scenic views to the south and east. Difficulty: Moderately strenuous. Its also a great hike for socializing, as much of it traces a wide (former wagon) trail where you dont have to walk single-file. Mapcarta, the open map. Begin the descent to Red Sandstone via a series of switchbacks where the stand of aspen begins to thin. At mile 4, the trail forks; crossing Gore Creek leads you over Red Buffalo Pass to Summit County (7 miles from the trailhead to Red Buffalo Pass), the left fork goes to Gore Lake (6 miles from the trailhead to Gore Lake). The trail continues climbing after the bridge to its junction with the North Trail at 2 miles, then gradually meanders through a lodgepole pine forest for another 1.5 miles to its terminus at Lost Lake Road. Access:No parking at the Booth Lake Trailhead for the 2022 season. But maybe it was meant to be. Follow CR771 north to the Gold Creek Campground parking area which is 6.80 miles north of Ohio City. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. The trail takes you to another high alpine meadow filled with pine trees and numerous small creek crossings. I've never seen it this crowded. The trail head for Lake Pitkin is located just off of I-70 on Fall Line Rd in Vail. Blue Lake 13. and 1 other. We strongly encourage taking the freeEast Vail blue line shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes, from the Vail Transportation Center to the Main Gore / Bighorn stop. FIND YOUR WAY OUTSIDE is a trademark of AllTrails, LLC. Quick Info: Pitkin Lake Trail. Please obey parking signage. Will not show on comments list. The Fifty/50. Anticipating more of the same this summer, Bazan would like to relay an urgent plea to the public: give nature a break. Access:Travel west on I-70 to exit 171 for Minturn, Leadville, and Highway 24. After ascending through the fallen trees of an avalanche chute, youll quickly leave the valley floor behind. The trail passes three chairlifts and continues climbing to Two Elk Pass before descending to the Vail Pass Recreation Path above East Vail. The views from the top of this steep trail include Vail Mountain, Mount of the Holy Cross, and beyond. Pitkin Lake Trail makes for an adventure-filled day hike. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Gorgeous, long and hard, but well worth it. Bus to Hike:Take the freeWest Vail Red busand get off at the Chamonix bus stop. Call 860-327-5498 for . The Minturn Mile is best accessed after spending the day at Vail, but can be done so with skins and skis from the base. (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You can contact ProTrails directly through our Facebook account. Please explore responsibly! Bus to Hike:Take the freeWest Vail Red busand get off at the Chamonix bus stop. The only other option is to park in town and take a shuttle which is free but much less convenient in this situation because it stops at multiple places en route to the trailhead. A little muddy near the top. Pitkin #2012. At about 3.75 miles in the trail crosses the west fork of Pitkin Creek and there is a large campsite past that crossing. Follow this rough, dirt road about 1.8 miles until it ends at the trailhead. Youll get a ticket. The trail is gentler now, and you can follow the creek to the lake where view to the Sawatch Range and Mount of the Holy Cross emerge. Access:Parking is extremely limited at the trailhead. By 18. ", "Very nice, easy to follow trail. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park. That trail is longer, more arduous, and leads to Boulder Lake. Trailhead is on right side of the road. Six trails are hikers-only (and two are limited to bikes), with the rest accommodating everyone. Fossil Ridge is behind the lake and rises to 12,749 elevation. The trail winds through meadows and aspen groves which change to conifer stands as the elevation increases. Turning right at the last junction allows you to loop back to Cortina Lane via Garmisch Drive. Beautiful trail, nice mix of forested trail and open meadows, several streams. After a number of false summits, the trail reaches Pitkin Lake, nestled beneath an arc of gray granite in the alpine tundra. Range: Gore Range Coordinates: 39.642967, -106.303029 Elevation: 8,450' Road Difficulty . Cross the bridge and tracks and proceed onto FSR# 762. Karl Wolfgang Length:0.7 miles (one way)Difficulty:Easy. He wasnt super aggressive, just seemed curious but he definitely got way too close for comfort at times. At mile 6.7 you will pass the Lost Lake Trail parking lot on the right and then reach an intersection where the Muddy Pass/Moniger Road goes left. Continue for another 200 m and you will reach the creek, rushing on your right. Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. After winding through another drainage, the North Trail begins its descent into Buffehr Creek via a series of switchbacks. Continue on the Everkrisp trail, climbing slightly before descending into EagleVail and meeting the Stone Creek trail at mile 4. Sites are first come, first served. Break out of treeline just as you reach Pitkin Lake at 11,360'. Break out of treeline just as you reach Pitkin Lake at 11,360'. Piney River, Booth Creek, Pitkin Creek, Bighorn Creek, Deluge Lake, and Gore Creek are within the Eagles Nest Wilderness. For a map of the trail, please visitHiking Project. Bus to Hike:Take the freeWest Vail Red busand get off at the Buffehr Creek bus stop. They also leave me with some of the best and most rewarding vi Beginning at an elevation of 9,397 feet, this hike provides an easy 2.8 mile (one way) trip through the gorgeous meadows against the distant aspens and alpines. Turn right and proceed east on the North Frontage Road for 0.5 miles to Buffehr Creek Road. Did not see any moose, bear, or mountain goats that recent trail reports indicate. Beaver Dam Lake. connected to the .gov website. At 4.5 km, just past the small creek crossing, continue left on the trail towards the western side of the trail. At about 2.5 miles - halfway to the top - you'll get a good view of Pitkin Falls. The parking lot for Son of Middle Creek trail is 100 yards ahead on the left. Pitkin Lake sits around 8.0 km in, dramatically surrounded by tall, gray granite walls and alpine tundra. After enjoying the waterfall, leave the valley of meadows and hike up another steep section of the trail. The Gore's are a rough and remote section of the Eagle's Nest Wilderness. At mile 3.2, the trail drops to Deluge Creek where you cross Deluge Creek. When we lived in Colorado, Rick and I hiked to Booth Lake in July 2012 (without a pack). There should be a Forest Service sign indicating this is Red Sandstone Road #700 (Reset your odometer here). How To Get There The Pitkin Lake Trailhead is easy to reach from Vail. The Eagles Nest Wilderness is a true wilderness experience, situated in the Summit County area of Colorado. It climbs through meadows that were once home to a very prosperous lettuce farm. Access:Parking is very limited at the trailhead. Being from the valley of the sun, Arizona, the altitude acclimatization took us an extra hour but other than that, went perfect! We decided to hike this trail today b/c said sunny all day. Length:VariesDifficulty:Varies Crowds:Varies. The trail climbs very steeply for the first 3 miles, gaining about 2,500 feet. Only passed about eight other hikers all day long. Well worth going out there. Top ways to experience Booth Falls Trail and nearby attractions. The Gardens are open to the public year-round. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Holy Cross Ranger District 24747 US Highway 24 Minturn, CO 81645 970.827.5715, White River National Forest 900 Grand Ave. P.O. We didnt hike the entire whole thing but super awesome! Seven of them are hikers-only, so you can engage with your surroundings without having to step or dive out of the way of hurtling mountain bikers. Exit here, turn left, and pass under the interstate. The Pitkin Lake Trail climbs 2,886' in several steep stagesinto the upper valley, where the landscape opens to rolling alpine meadows on the approach to Pitkin Lake: The trail crosses Pitkin Creek and begins a strenuous climb on a narrow, aspen-lined path. Directions: From Vail, continue east on I-70 to exit 180. . 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