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. Map Information, White River Begin the trip at the City Limit sign in Pitkin and travel west 6.5 miles to Ohio City. As the grade steepens on the final approach, you cross into the Holy Cross Wilderness, where youll soon find Beaver Lake, ringed with conifers and sparkling under that blue, blue Colorado sky.Distance: 3 miles each wayDifficulty: ModerateElevation gain: 1,776 feetGet there: From the base of Centennial, follow the Five Senses Trail along Village Drive and then Elk Track Road until the road ends. Beautiful trail, nice mix of forested trail and open meadows, several streams. Not very busy at all. Pitkin Lake Trail The trailhead is on the left at the first turn in the road. 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. At mile 3.0, the trail enters a large meadow where the Piney River and Meadow Creek merge. This trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness regulations are posted at the trailhead. Pitkin Lake For a day filled with hiking, choose the Pitkin Lake Trail. 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. - Paul Theroux 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. Range: Gore Range Coordinates: 39.642967, -106.303029 Elevation: 8,450' Road Difficulty . Difficulty: Moderately strenuous. connected to the .gov website. per group (up to 8) Smartphone Driving Tour between Boulder and Vail / Breckenridge. Length:4.3 miles (one way)Difficulty:Most Difficult. The Booth Creek Falls trail is particularly stunning in autumn when the aspens are glowing and golden. Break out of treeline just as you reach Pitkin Lake at 11,360'. Summer and fall hikers should find an open trail. Pitkin Historical and Community Association. Ted Katauskas Alex Spring Reservoir 2. While the first part of the hike is steep, the incline is gradual for most of the way, and it's a very enjoyable hike to do between June and October. Walk north mile up Columbine Drive (under the overpass) to the trailhead. From the trailhead, walk 1/8 mile to the signed North Trail/Davos Trail junction and take a right onto the North Trail. Holy Cross Ranger District 24747 US Highway 24 Minturn, CO 81645 970.827.5715, White River National Forest 900 Grand Ave. P.O. Access:The Gore Valley trail is accessible from various points throughout the Town of Vail. From the lake, we spied several promising lines over to the Booth Lake drainage, but decided to plumb the middle branch of the Pitkin drainage instead. This trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness regulations are posted at the trailhead. Secure .gov websites use HTTPS A lock Alicia Lake Reservoir 3. The parking closure is a pilot program to address the negative impacts of overcrowding on the Eagles Nest Wilderness such as a build-up of waste, trail erosion, and other safety concerns (speeding, illegal parking, emergency vehicle access, etc.) The Pitkin Lake Trail climbs 2,886' in several steep stages into the upper valley, where the landscape opens to rolling alpine meadows on the approach to Pitkin Lake. The variety is great so spend time stopping and looking both going and coming. Join a supporting community of travelers and adventurers sharing their photos and local insights. Here is a picture of the sign. After enjoying your well-earned time at the lake, follow the same trail back, through Pitkin Creek drainage, to finish your hike! From westbound I-70, exit #180 and turn right (east) on the north frontage road. Pitkin Lake Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a lake located near Vail, Colorado. Access:From I-70, take Exit 176 for Vail and cross under I-70 to the north side of the high-way. Robert Kagan - George A. Kasem - John Kasich - John Katko - Thomas Kean - Thomas Kean mlaji - Joseph Warren Keifer - Kenneth McKellar - Fred Keller - Frank B. Kellogg - James A. Kelly - Laura Kelly - John F. Kennedy - John L. Kennedy - Kerry Kennedy - P. J. Kennedy - Robert F. Kennedy - Ted Kennedy - John W. Kern - John F. Kerry - Harley M . $7.99. Wearing proper foot wear will enhance your hiking experience. I recommend wearing long sleeves, although the bugs bit me through my clothes. The trail climbs through forest and meadows past Booth Falls, a 60-foot waterfall. Do not park in undesignated areas; there are only four designated parking spaces. The Gore Creek Campground is located 2.5 miles east of Exit 180 from I-70 on Bighorn Road. East and West Partner, at 3,977 m, reside above the lake. 36 Lake, Stephen 15 Lane, Libby 52 Mason, Beverley 3 Mullally, Sarah 44 Nelson, Hugh 26 . Bring lots of water!! The trail will pass through several boulder fields, and then cling to a very steep slope as it climbs through aspen woods. Access:Travel west on I-70 to Exit 173 for West Vail. Such a good trail! Took about eight hours. Had the trail and lake to myself early on a Saturday! One vertebrae slipped over another. After ascending through the fallen trees of an avalanche chute, youll quickly leave the valley floor behind. From here the views to the south and west of Holy Cross Wilderness and the Gore Range are excellent. Please respect this valued piece of Eagle County history by not disturbing the cabin remains. The alpine lake at the end of the trail is stunning! . Over the first lung-busting mile of the trail, youll ascend steeply through lush aspen groves, then catch your breath as the grade mellows, traversing Booth Creek to the cascade. Alpine Lake Hike If you have all day, take a classic Colorado hike to a pristine alpine lake. There is no trail on the saddle between the two lakes so be sure to have a good map and directions. Definitely a challenging hike and the last bit to the lake is a solid incline as well. Pitkin Lake is located 4.45 miles north of Vail in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area. For the remaining 2.0 km, the hike takes you through similar terrain slowly curving around to the final destination: Pitkin Lake. Amazing in the fall. Length:3.5 miles (one way)Difficulty:Moderate. Hike 1/4th mile and you will see a metal sign-in box beside the trail at 38.39.584N 106.34.718W. Booth Lake is a beautiful lake tucked away in an alpine cirque with fantastic wildflowers. That trail is longer, more arduous, and leads to Boulder Lake. The first 4 miles of the trail climbs alongside Gore Creek. LockA locked padlock Travel east from Vail on I-70 to Exit 180 for East Vail. Not many people on a Monday. Have you done this adventure? Gore Creek Campground - Facilities and Campground Information: Pitkin Lake is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area and Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest. Walk east 1/3 of a mile up Bighorn Road (under the overpass) to the trailhead. This portion of the trail passes through forest and meadows and crosses Red Sandstone Creek. Whether you're fly fishing or otherwise your chances of getting a bite here are good. More information at www.hikevail.net. Travel 1 mile to Booth Falls Road and turn right (north). Displaying 1 to 75 of 103 records. Turn left at the yield sign onto Chamonix Lane. The Booth Lake Trailhead is located 1.2 miles from Exit #180 of I-70 on Booth Falls Road. Big Pine Lake. Bus to Hike:Take the freeWest Vail Red busand get off at the Buffehr Creek bus stop. Theres some gravel on the side of the road that looks like parking, but its not. See houses this school serves. Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your Turn left and continue to the bridge. We strongly encourage taking the freeEast Vail blue line shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes, from the Vail Transportation Center to the Columbine stop. Park your vehicle in a manner that permits traffic to pass up the two wheel trail that continues upward. Pitkin Lake sits around 8.0 km in, dramatically surrounded by tall, gray granite walls and alpine tundra. Follow the road for about 0.4 miles and take a left at the trail sign to continue on the North Trail (Cortina Lane to Buffehr Creek section). Turn right and proceed east on the North Frontage Road for 0.5 miles to Buffehr Creek Road. 4 Beds. This is a very popular hike and the amount of use has resulted in trail damage and widening. Dogs are permitted, but must be kept on a leash in order to protect wildlife and the hiking experience of other trail users. Fallen trees along the trail are evidence of past avalanches. 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. Wilderness is for your your responsibilities when visiting these special places. The Gardens are open to the public year-round. Merge right and travel south 2.7 miles and turn left onto Cemetery Road. Leave them as you wish to nd them: Camping - camp at least 100 feet from streams, lakes, and trails Dogs . Well worth the effort to reach the lake, which is deep and crystal clear. Black Lake 11. Pitkin Lake is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area and Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest. Big Lake 8. 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'). Access:From I-70, take Exit 176 for Vail. Around mile 3, the trail passes through open meadows and stands of subalpine fir and Englemann spruce, offering a chance to see the Grand Traverse, a continuous 12,000 foot ridge connecting all the peaks and high drainages of the Gore Range. Continue on the Everkrisp trail, climbing slightly before descending into EagleVail and meeting the Stone Creek trail at mile 4. Locating the Pitkin Lake Trailhead is easy. This is a new adventure! Please respect private property rights. Follow this rough, dirt road about 1.8 miles until it ends at the trailhead. Sites are first come, first served. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Parking availability at the trailhead is limited. It ascends through meadows, aspen, and conifer forests, offering views in all directions until it meets the Whiskey Creek trail at mile 2. We strongly encourage taking the freeEast Vail blue line shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes, from the Vail Transportation Center to the Falls at Vail bus stop. 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). From Buffehr Creek, climb steeply for approximately one mile on an open hillside. However, the bugs are extremely bad. Supervisor's Office He wasnt super aggressive, just seemed curious but he definitely got way too close for comfort at times. Lunch will be served. This day hike begins as a steady climb through aspen trees for the first mile. The Deluge Lake Trail splits from the Gore Creek Trail about 0.1 mile from the Gore Creek trailhead. 10. There is one water crossing not far from the lake. The Pitkin Lake Trailhead is located .3 miles east of Exit #180 from I-70 on the North Frontage Road. We dont want to tell people they cant use the wilderness; its really beneficial. Dogs are welcome, but must be on a leash. It seemed a lot longer than 4.5 each way- but was worth it. Pitkin Lake Trail makes for an adventure-filled day hike. From the trailhead, the trail follows a ridge dividing the Piney and Red Sandstone drainages while traveling though lodgepole pine and aspen groves. The river is situated in Eagle County and drains part of the Rocky Mountains at the south end of Gore Range via Gore Valley. Please consider other hiking trails listed on this page if this trail is likely to be very busy. Continue north approximately another 1/2 mile, ascending a series of switchbacks, to the North Trail junction and stay right. 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