Incline is hard at points, I like that :) Lake was beautiful. Begin the trip at the City Limit sign in Pitkin and travel west 6.5 miles to Ohio City. Top half is more difficult with rocky trails. At 5.6 km, while passing through a meadow flush with creeks, a cascading waterfall will be on your left. Please consider other hiking trails listed on this page if this trail is likely to be very busy. Easily accessibly, short, but sometimes mildly strenuous 3.5 mile (roundtrip) hike. Parking is very limited at this trailhead. . Beaver Lake. We didn't mind that at all as it was a spectacular experience! It took me 3 hours to get to the lake. After a series of small switchbacks, at 4.0 km, look out towards the east to see the first of two waterfalls along Pitkin Creek. There are some short steep sections along the way. Big Pine Lake 9. The mountain has an elevation of 14,028 feet and is the highest point in Summit County. - Paul Theroux For easy access to a tucked-away mountain lake, its hard to beat the six-mile round-trip hike to Beaver Lake. Bus to Hike:Take the freeSandstone busand get off at the Vail View/Red Sandstone bus stop. West Trailhead: continue up Road #700 for 6 miles to the trailhead parking on the right. A little muddy near the top. Benchmark Lake Reservoir 7. Lots of huckleberries! Follow 771 seven miles north to the Gold Creek Campground parking area which is 6.79 miles north of Ohio City. more info: No conditions reported in the past 7 days. The trail bends northwest through an expanding alpine landscape and shoots up the valley's west side through the vestiges of treeline (4.0 miles : 11,072'). From westbound I-70, exit #180 and turn right (east) on the north frontage road. This is an amazing hike! Only made it half way. Displaying 1 to 75 of 103 records. The trail climbs through forest and meadows past Booth Falls, a 60-foot waterfall. Gradually, the trail ascends the valley, past two waterfalls, to the stunning lake that sits below East and West Partner (two 3,960 m peaks). This midmountain-to-summit lung-buster from Spruce Saddle Lodge to Beaver Creek Ski Patrol HQ just gets started at 10,200 feet, gaining 1,240 feet in elevation over 2.7 miles as it traverses wildflower meadows to the pinnacle at 11,440 feet.Distance: 2.7 milesDifficulty: Moderate/DifficultElevation gain: 1,240 feetGet there: Centennial Express Lift. Look for trail signs as you cross the Larkspur ski run, then follow the old stage road along the creek and across a footbridge. In 2010, the campsite was not well-used. You will be crossing streams & water puddles right on thr trail. Mill Lake is at 11,470 elevation. The trail passes three chairlifts and continues climbing to Two Elk Pass before descending to the Vail Pass Recreation Path above East Vail. It seemed a lot longer than 4.5 each way- but was worth it. Continue north approximately another 1/2 mile, ascending a series of switchbacks, to the North Trail junction and stay right. Travel .3 miles to the Pitkin Lake Trailhead parking area. Length:0.7 miles (one way)Difficulty:Easy. Trail Adopted By:Manor Vail Lodge (East) and Slifer Smith & Frampton (West). Suitable for beginners, families, young children, and those looking for a casual adventure. I've never seen it this crowded. After passing the sign, the trail continues to strenuously climb for another kilometer before leveling out. The trail plateaus to a disperse aspen forest, offering shade to cool you off after the steep ascent. After crossing the bridge, the trail steeply ascends for 0.3 km gaining 56 m of elevation, taking you to the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area sign. At the top of the switchbacks, take the left fork to join Buffehr Creek trail and continue climbing for 2.8 miles through mixed aspen and conifer forests. 10. The grade levels out somewhat as the trail passes through mature aspen groves and spruce-fir forests and a series of moraines from an ancient glacial retreat. Top ways to experience Booth Falls Trail and nearby attractions. How To Get There The Pitkin Lake Trailhead is easy to reach from Vail. Please respect private property rights. Bring lots of water!! The water puddles, just walk on the grass to the right or left. Crowds:This is a very popular trail at certain times of the season and parking can be very limited. Fossil Ridge is behind the lake and rises to 12,749 elevation. This is a beautiful 60 ft waterfall that allows for easy rock climbing and hiking through the stream upstream of the falls. After the trail levels out, around 2.0 km in, the trail opens up to a steep hillside scattered with pines, aspens, spruces, and firs. Learn More. Linda Hayes Walk down North Frontage Road for 200 yards and you will see the Trappers Run Trailhead. Vail Mountain offers many miles of hiking trails that are both accessible from Vail Village and Lionshead, as well as from Mid-Vail and Eagles Nest/Adventure Ridge. Be the first to leave a review! Bus to Hike:Take the freeWest Vail Red busand get off at the Chamonix bus stop. Please obey parking signage. If you're planning to only hike the falls, it's roughly 4 miles rou To get to Pumphouse Falls take Interstate 70 toward East Vail, Colorado, get off at exit 176 S. Frontage Road headed east. Follow switchbacks as you climb steadily for about 1.5 miles to an intersection with the Son of Middle Creek Trail #2136. Turn left at the yield sign onto Chamonix Lane. Holy Cross Ranger District 24747 US Highway 24 Minturn, CO 81645 970.827.5715, White River National Forest 900 Grand Ave. P.O. Starting in Lionshead, Vail, CO take the Gondola 19 up to the top of the mountain and head west straight out past Chair 26 and towards the Vail Mountain Wedding deck. What spectacular views throughout the trail! Difficult but not impossible, long but 100% worth it! The trailhead is on the left at the first turn in the road. Please respect this valued piece of Eagle County history by not disturbing the cabin remains. This trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness regulations are posted at the trailhead. ", N39 38.586W106 18.184 0.0 miles : Pitkin Lake Trailhead, N39 38.960W106 17.965 .5 miles : Mild travel through grassy hillside and aspen, N39 39.219W106 17.543 1.0 miles : Moderate travel through diversifying forest, N39 39.594W106 17.346 1.5 miles : Join creek, begin steep climb, N39 39.990W106 17.170 2.0 miles : Nadir along wide meadow on valley floor, N39 40.329W106 16.945 2.5 miles : Climb out of meadow with view of Pitkin Fall, N39 40.758W106 16.742 3.0 miles : Pass through meadow at confluence, N39 40.994W106 16.723 3.35 miles : Trail levels in high subalpine forest, N39 41.183W106 16.833 3.55 miles : Mild travel in thinning subalpine forest, N39 41.291W106 17.203 4.0 miles : Break treeline on west side of upper valley, N39 41.441W106 17.232 4.25 miles : Reach center of valley on final approach, N39 41.579W106 17.330 4.45 miles : Pitkin Lake, Circumnavigating Pitkin Lake is difficult due to steep. Its like youre hiking through the forest most the way, in the trees, but still lots of sun. The Colorado Division of Wildlife sets fishing regulations. Amazing beautiful views all the way up and back! Anticipating more of the same this summer, Bazan would like to relay an urgent plea to the public: give nature a break. Youll get a ticket. I was pretty miserable the whole time and didn't make it it the falls . Overcast skies on way down, 72 degrees at end. Turn right and make another right and drive about .2 mile east. Bolts Lake 15. Join a supporting community of travelers and adventurers sharing their photos and local insights. Took about eight hours. 4 Bath. Trail Photos Break out of treeline just as you reach Pitkin Lake at 11,360'. Length:VariesDifficulty:Varies Crowds:Varies. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. 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. Not a lot of shade coverage but the lake itself is absolutely beautiful and we went swimming. Access:Parking is very limited at the trailhead; do not park in undesignated areas. Proceed north from the roundabout on the north side of I-70. Styled by From westbound I-70, exit #180 and turn left (west) on the north frontage road. Turn north here and follow the paved road about 0.7 miles to a fork with a dirt road on the left. 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. We started around 7am, it had snowed quite a bit the night before so following the trail was tough in a few spots (thankful for the people who walked before us and left some footprints). Pitkin Lake is located 4.45 miles north of Vail in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area. Its muddy the last mile and a half so be prepared with the right shoes. Did not see any moose, bear, or mountain goats that recent trail reports indicate. Stay on the trail that goes straight ahead! We didnt hike the entire whole thing but super awesome! Beaver Lake 6. Summer and fall hikers should find an open trail. The last 1/4 mile to Booth Lake is steep and rocky. Quickly, youll cross a large bridge as Pitkin creeks rushes below. At the bottom of the descent, turn left and follow the trail to the Buffehr Creek bridge. Read More Download the Outbound mobile app Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use. Campfires are permitted for dispersed camping in the backcountry, with potential seasonal restrictions. Turn right and proceed east on the North Frontage Road for 0.5 miles to Buffehr Creek Road. MANCHESTER Concordia Lutheran Church, will host a Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Saturday, Nov. 5, at 40 Pitkin St., with a baked goods table. 7 miles by watch GPS. for 2.5 miles, turn right into the small parking lot next to the Nordic ski track. Pitkin Lake sits around 8.0 km in, dramatically surrounded by tall, gray granite walls and alpine tundra. and 1 other. I will be back same time next year, Highly recommend doing this trail asap because the leaves are insanely beautiful all around Vail and on the trail right now! Saw lots of mountain goats and a snake. The trail takes you to another high alpine meadow filled with pine trees and numerous small creek crossings. The trail passes beaver ponds and the remains of old mining camps as well as Bighorn Falls. Pitkin Lake is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area and Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest. Fishing is notoriously good at Pitkin Lake. From the Buffehr Creek trailhead, cross the bridge and proceed about 1/4 mile before turning right at the first junction (the trail to the left takes you to Garmisch Drive). Gore Valley Trail: Bighorn to Eagle River, Mill Creek Road and Main Vail- Vail Village Loop, Vail to Minturn via Berrypicker Trail and Cougar Ridge, Eagle's Nest via Gitalong, Cub's Way, and Post Road. The trail drops down the west side, bottoms out (2.0 miles : 9,715'), and climbs ruggedly out of the meadow with great views back down valley, and NE toward Pitkin Falls (2.5 miles : 10,087). Fishing is permitted along Pitkin Creek and at Pitkin Lake with a valid Colorado fishing license. An old homestead marks this site. From here, the trail begins to steeply ascend towards the alpine tundra where Pitkin Lake resides. This is a very popular area for hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. The trailhead is located around 9,075 feet. In 2019, the Booth Lake Trail, a 4-mile there-and-back path to Booth Creek Falls thats one the valleys most popular hikes, logged 30,637 users. We got some sun, but mostly cloudy with rain & hail! This is a very popular hike and the amount of use has resulted in trail damage and widening. A vault toilet is available. The incline is pretty gradual. The freeEast Vail blue line shuttle, runs every 30 minutes from the Vail Transportation Center to the Booth Falls stop. Dogs are permitted, butmust be kept on a leashin order to protect wildlife and the hiking experience of other trail users. Britta Briscoe. Then, the trail climbs more gradually following along Booth Creek through mostly aspen groves before passing Booth Falls. Really liked this trail, different from many others. From the top of Meadow Mountain, you can descend the Whiskey Creek trail, then turn right on the Everkrisp trail for a 10.1 mile loop that will return you to the Meadow Mountain trailhead. The Booth Lake Trailhead and parking area are located .2 miles up Booth Falls Road. Mount Powell is part of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains and is one of the most popular climbing destinations in Colorado. The Pitkin Trail, along with its fellow nearby trails (Booth lake, Bighorn Creek, Deluge Lake, and Gore Creek), is an exciting all around, out and back, trail that journeys to Pitkin Lake. Travel intensifies to the base of a rockslide (2.7 miles : 10,272'), then makes another short, steep burst to a second crest over a large meadow where a major tributary joins Pitkin Creek (2.95 miles : 10,420'). Length:4.5 miles (one way)Difficulty:More Difficult. The trail begins adjacent to the trailhead message board. Walk up Fall Line Drive a mile to the trailhead. At about 3.75 miles in the trail crosses the west fork of Pitkin Creek and there is a large campsite past that crossing. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Cross the meadow and begin a strenuous climb up the far side through a dense spruce-fir forest. This trail offers excellent views of the surrounding mountains. After about 3 miles it trades off between flat and parts of incline. Be mindful of private property in the area and only park in designated spaces. Scenic vistas of Mount of the Holy Cross and Battle Mountain are prevalent throughout the hike. After passing a beaver pond on the right, cross Buffehr Creek. Great trail that was not too busy with beautiful views. Length:4.8 miles (one way)Difficulty:Moderate. The Booth Creek Falls trail is particularly stunning in autumn when the aspens are glowing and golden. Alpine Lake Hike If you have all day, take a classic Colorado hike to a pristine alpine lake. Ample parking at 8 AM. Trail is mostly in great shape. Beautiful paved path popular for walking and biking with great mountain, aspen trees, and stream views. For a map of the trail, please visitHiking Project. Courtesy Photos, 06/24/2021 From the trailhead, it is a gradual climb for about 3 miles to a cascading waterfall which makes a good destination for the average hiker. Take plenty of water and some snacks. . There are several different trails to explore, each offering its own unique scenery and challenges. I used OFF bug spray and it didn't even phase these bugs. This is a new adventure! Photography by This is the trailhead on the right. It's located just past the Gore Creek Trailhead and holds 25 campsites with picnic tables and fire grates. Sign in on the sheet that is inside the box, if you desire. Insect repellant and sun screen are nice in season. 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