Читать книгу Hiking Trails of Southwestern Colorado, Fifth Edition - John Peel - Страница 9
ОглавлениеCave Basin Trail ventures into the Weminuche, Colorado's largest wilderness at 488,000 acres.
Looking down the Barnroof Point trail toward the start, with Twin Buttes on the left.
A panorama taken from the Rim Trail shows, from left to right, the Hogsback, Perins Peak, the La Plata Mountains, and Animas City Mountain.
HIKES IN & NEAR DURANGO
Its obvious Durango is enthusiastic about trails. That enthusiasm started long ago, but the formation back in 1990 of Durango Trails 2000, the local trails advocacy group, really got things cooking. The nonprofit plans routes, energizes the community, and, with mostly volunteer labor, has built or maintains more than 300 miles of trails.
Thanks to the foresight of Durango Trails 2000, the Durango Parks and Recreation Department, La Plata County, the San Juan Mountains Association, and the San Juan National Forest and Bureau of Land Management (and perhaps others I’ve missed), Durango-area residents can hike—sometimes right out your back door—into the nearby hills and beyond into the high country on your way to explore a diversity of ecosystems. Durango Trails 2000 continues to be at the forefront of trail development, and serves as a model for similar organizations around the region.
If you are wondering why Durango is such a well loved and popular place, trails are a huge reason.
CITY TRAILS
The Telegraph Trail System is one popular option. It’s covered later in this chapter in the Raider Ridge hike (page 53) and the Meadow Loop/Telegraph Trail hike (page 56). Plenty of other trails exist, and the maps that accompany those hikes show many of the various trails.
There is a mile-long trail up Smelter Mountain, accessed near the start of CR 210. To get there: As you’re leaving downtown heading south on US 550/160, after crossing the Animas River take a right at the next light. Then quickly take a right onto CR 210, then another right onto a paved access road that leads to the Animas-La Plata intake facility. Go 100 yards and park in the dirt lot on the left (N 37 15.200, W 107 52.726, 6,520 feet). Start hiking downhill briefly to cross a ravine, then steeply uphill to the northwest. Go 1 mile to reach a nice viewpoint just before the mass of communication towers and just as you hit the access road coming from that direction (N 37 15.763, W 107 53.354, 7,560 feet).
A couple of notes on Smelter: Between December 1 and April 15 it’s only open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and dogs are not allowed; this is to protect deer and elk. At all times, dogs must be on a leash to keep them from harassing wildlife. Parks and Wildlife asks humans and dogs to both respect wildlife from a distance.
Just north of the Smelter trailhead, the approximately 10-acre Durango Dog Park lies under the north shadow of Smelter Mountain, just west of the Animas River where US 550/160 crosses it. There is room for a few cars in a dirt lot near the park entrance (N 37 16.086, W 107 53.210), which is south of US 160 and just west of Roosa Avenue. It’s also possible to access the dog park from the Smelter trailhead; follow an old road north about a half-mile to the park.
Several trails, or trail systems, appear on the map on the facing page. Here is a description of most of them:
Centennial Nature Trail is used by many Fort Lewis College students because it connects the lower town areas with the college campus and the Rim Trail. The Nature Trail can be found near the junction of East Sixth Avenue and Tenth Street. Through a series of switchbacks, the trail moves up some 250 feet to the campus mesa, coming out on the west side of the campus just south of the little chapel on the rim. At this same junction at Sixth and Tenth you’ll find the “Sky Steps,” 530 steps that go straight up the mountainside and are a favorite for athletes in training. At the top, you can catch the Rim Trail.
The Rim Trail takes a little sleuthing to follow, particularly on the southern end, but you can make a complete 2.7-mile loop around campus. If you go counterclockwise from where the Centennial Nature Trail meets it, you’ll cross Eighth Avenue (N 37 16.385, W 107 52.181), go south and then northeast, paralleling Goeglein Gulch Road for a while. You’ll pass by the eleventh hole at Hillcrest Golf Club, cross Rim Drive near a three-way intersection (N 37 16.877, W 107 51.943), take a left, and then walk by the top of the city’s Chapman Hill Ski Area. (Another good way to access the Rim Trail is to come up the Lions Den Trail from Chapman Hill.)
The west and northwest parts of the Rim Trail offer excellent views over town and the La Plata Mountains across the valley.
Chapman Hill–Lions Den Trails can be reached by going northeast 0.5 miles on Florida Road from the intersection of East Third Avenue and Fifteenth Street. Park in the Chapman Hill recreation area lot. Look for a trail just north of the skating rink; that’s the Lions Den Trail (N 37 17.050, W 107 52.040). Take it about a mile uphill, then veer right at an intersection to contour the hillside (a left takes you up to the actual Lions Den and you meet Rim Drive at the golf course clubhouse).
It’s another quarter-mile south, paralleling Rim Drive just west of the golf course, to the intersection with the Rim Trail. If you take the Rim Trail west from here a couple hundred yards, you can get back down to the Chapman Hill parking area via a steep road closed to traffic.
The Animas River Trail is an asphalt and concrete route that follows the river closely all the way from the north end of town to the south end. Planning and construction took twenty or thirty years, depending on who’s counting, and it was ceremoniously finished in 2005. However, extensions on both ends and new crossings and connections remain in the works.
The River Trail is a bit over 7 miles long but will grow. On the north end, it starts at the intersection of Thirty-Second Street and East Third Avenue (N 37 17.702, W 107 52.203) on the north end of Memorial Park. A restroom open during warm-weather months and parking are available at Twenty-Ninth Street. In less than a half-mile, the trail crosses the river over a good footbridge. It continues south along the river around the east side of the high school grounds, crosses a bridge over Junction Creek, and goes behind the Durango Public Library. Then it crosses another footbridge, goes past a gazebo at Rotary Park, and heads under Main Avenue (N 37 16.838, W 107 52.701).
The trail continues behind businesses on the east side of the river to Iris Park. There, a nice bridge takes you across to the west side of the Animas River at the north end of Schneider Park and next to a skate park. After a couple blocks you cross the Animas again at the Ninth Street Bridge, then loop around and under the bridge.
Found along the Rim Trail, this metal sculpture molded in the shape of the surrounding mountains is part of the Peter Carver Geologic Overlook, a memorial for a young Durangoan who died in an avalanche in 2013.
A great view of Durango from Smelter Mountain.
After passing the DoubleTree Hotel, the trail goes under the US 160 bridge (N 37 16.125, W 107 53.150). It proceeds south along the highway about a mile to Whitewater Park, goes under another highway bridge, and crosses to the west side of the river over a rickety, wooden-planked bridge. It moves along a nice riparian area without any development for a half-mile until coming to a BMX track. (A bridge from the BMX track links to the Rivergate townhomes and Animas Surgical Hospital). The River Trail continues uphill another half-mile, and then continues on a neat cantilever over a steep section to begin its way around the Durango Mall. It again crosses the Animas near the highway, then goes past the Humane Society, Walmart, Escalante Middle School, and Home Depot before ending. Keep in mind there are numerous access points to the River Trail along its route.
Overend Mountain Park encompasses a series of hills and valleys in nearly 300 acres of wild land on Durango’s western boundary that was acquired by the city in the 1990s. The lowest point of the park is about 6,600 feet at the city boundary; the highest point is the Hogsback (see page 33) at 7,484 feet, giving a net relief of 884 feet.
There is a network of approximately 15 miles of trails, providing some good short exploratory hikes. Some trails are steep and some are gentle. Winter also can be good for snowshoeing and ski touring, although most times snow just makes a mucky mess of things, particularly in the spring. You could get lost in the maze of trails, but not badly, because Durango is always to the east of you and is visible from various high points.
Overend Mountain Park is named for Ned Overend, who is not only the first official world mountain bike champion (1990 at Purgatory), but also was one of the landowners who agreed to sell this land to the city for a decent price. Ed Zink and Scott Fleming were among the others.
The area is composed of Mancos Shale: a gray, flaky soil that is usually soft at the surface. Some places are bare, while others have piñon pines and junipers along with some large ponderosa pines.
There are several access points. A primary one is at the west end of Leyden Street in the Crestview area (N 37 17.054, W 107 53.264). A map is posted on a sign at the trailhead. One trail sticks to the main gulch, known locally as Slime Gulch, but side trails begin branching off, one immediately to the right. Other options soon branch off to the left uphill.
There is also access off the west end of Montview Parkway, and Arroyo Drive at its intersection with North Glenisle Avenue. South of Leyden, you can cross the drainage ditch at the intersection of Kearney Street and Glenisle Avenue. This route goes up steeply at first. If you explore, you’ll find other trails, and unofficial trails. Please honor private property signs.
Overend Mountain Park is very popular with mountain bikers, and hikers need to be on the lookout for sudden biker appearances around sharp corners. Bikers owe the right of way to hikers, but hikers should stay alert to their presence. Dogs must be on a leash in this park.
Dalla Mountain Park is another city-owned parcel with myriad trails. It’s very popular with dog walkers and sport climbers. If it’s popular with climbers, that means there are plenty of rocks and boulders, some of them huge, all of them sandstone. There are also trees (mostly piñons) growing out of these boulders everywhere, a reaffirming sign of the tenacity of life. To get there, go west off Main Avenue up Twenty-Fifth Street. Go 1 mile and look for the parking area on the right. There are several miles of trails winding about this 176-acre parcel the city of Durango purchased from previous owner Jake Dalla in 2005. This area, still known locally as “Sailing Hawks,” abuts Animas City Mountain, and those trail systems are linked.
Located northeast of town off Florida Road is the 1.2-mile-long Pioneer Trail. It’s popular with people in the Edgemont development nearby. From the intersection of CR 250 (East Animas Road) and CR 240 (Florida Road), go 3 miles up Florida Road. About 150 yards before the big sign for Edgemont Ranch (a subdivision), look for a gravel road on the left. Drive up that gravel road for 100 yards to a very small parking area (N 37 18.796, W 107 47.933, 7,360 feet), and there you’ll find the trailhead. The trail begins by heading south, going right up to the Edgemont sign, then switching back northward, winding its way uphill through a ponderosa-dominated forest. At 1.2 miles it ends abruptly at Nusbaum Road (N 37 19.423, W 107 47.743, 7,900 feet). You’ve climbed 540 feet.
Pioneer is probably best for a quick out-and-back. But if you hike up Nusbaum, which turns into Silver Mesa Driveway, it’s about a mile to the San Juan National Forest, at which point a barrier prevents cars from getting through. From the barrier, it’s approximately 2.5 miles to the Missionary Ridge Trail, which you hit a mile or so north of the top of Haflin Creek.
Twin Buttes trail system also deserves a mention. This area is certainly a hotspot for mountain bikers, but the 12 miles of trails—built by Trails 2000 volunteer crews—are multi-use. This marvelous system was created in conjunction with a development west of town that has been annexed by the city of Durango. Open space land was deeded to the city by the developers, and parts of trails actually wend through the subdivision or close to it. It’s just 1.5 miles west of town on US 160. Go just past the gas station on the north side of the highway and turn right toward Animas High School, then quickly turn into a dirt lot on the right to park. The lower trails are open year-round, but the upper trails are closed from December 1 to April 15 to protect wildlife habitats.
HOGSBACK
DISTANCE: 2 miles round-trip
ELEVATION: Start at 6,660 feet, finish at 7,484 feet (824-foot gain)
RATING: Moderate, due to steep finish
TIME ALLOWED: 1¼ hours
Hogsback Trail is part of Overend Mountain Park, with the top on the far west side. It is distinct enough to deserve special attention. It is the most challenging and most rewarding hike in the park. It’s possible to climb on a long lunch break.
From the top of the Hogsback, looking down at the ridgetop trail toward town.
APPROACH: Use the Leyden Street access. Reach Leyden from town by taking Twenty-Second Street west off Main Avenue. The street angles to the top of Crestview Mesa, where it becomes Montview Parkway; follow this west to Glenisle, then south one block to Leyden, and west again to the end of Leyden (N 37 17.054, W 107 53.264). Respect local residents while parking and starting your trek. As you drive up Leyden, you’ll see both the Hogsback and Perins Peak beyond it.
HIKE: Take the trail over a large culvert and follow it along a usually dry gulch. In just over 0.1 mile a trail branches at a 120-degree angle left uphill. You can take this, or you can go another 0.2 miles to a second left, which is a little less steep (N 37 17.126, W 107 53.557). Both of these trails top out to join a larger, more gradual trail that goes west toward Hogsback.
The trail twists and turns through some brush, eventually reaching open shale. The last two pitches are steep and can usually be done standing up—the shale has good footholds—but if conditions are wet or very dry, you’ll probably slide a bit. Near the top is a very narrow spot where you must be careful not to slip, lest you take a steep, unscheduled glissade in the shale for 150 feet. The steep area is on the left part of the trail; it is a good idea to hold onto the brush on the right side. On the top (N 37 17.063, W 107 53.954, 7,484 feet) at 1 mile there is a nice single slab of sandstone that becomes your reward for huffing and puffing. It is a good place to lie down and rest or to sit and study the scenery: the city below, Perins Peak to the west, the West Needles to the north-northeast.
You can return on the same route, or you can make a loop.
OPTIONS: A trail goes west off the Hogsback, and it’s really steep for the first 30 yards. It’s doable if you’re careful. Follow this trail along a ridge for a quarter-mile from the top, then take a right (east) off the ridge (N 37 17.177, W 107 54.105, 7,100 feet) and drop down a winding trail about a half-mile, where the trail crosses Slime Gulch on a wooden bridge and comes to an intersection (N 37 17.286, W 107 53.781, 6,840 feet). Take a right, and follow this trail 0.6 miles to Leyden Street. Making this loop, which is all in Overend Mountain Park, adds 0.3 miles to the trip.
PERINS PEAK
DISTANCE: 5.4 miles round-trip
ELEVATION: Start at 6,885 feet, finish at 8,340 feet (1,455-foot gain)
RATING: Moderate
TIME ALLOWED: 2½ to 4 hours
With its distinctive profile, Perins Peak is a town icon. Its top has a sharp, pointed cliff that faces east and looks down over Durango like a guardian.
It was named after Charles Perin, a civil engineer who laid out the grid for the town when it was incorporated in 1881.
You can only do this hike during one-third of the year, from August 1 through November 30. The Perins Peak Trail goes through both state (Colorado Parks and Wildlife) and federal (Bureau of Land Management) land. The restrictions are there to protect the peregrine falcon, which was once an endangered species, as well as big-game species whose young are born in this area. But this is good hiking and it’s worth waiting for the open period. Also, it has the advantage of starting right out from the city limits.
The first part is easy, but the last thousand feet of altitude gain are moderately difficult due to steepness. It is a vigorous hike, rewarding for the workout you’ll get and for the nice view of both the La Plata Mountains and Durango.
APPROACH: From Main Avenue in Durango, go left (west) on Twenty-Fifth Street. After 0.5 miles, or two blocks past Miller Middle School, take a left onto Clovis Drive. At 0.9 miles Clovis continues into the Rockridge subdivision and becomes Rockridge Drive. Go up this drive and, just before reaching the end, go right briefly on Tanglewood and take another quick left that takes you back to a parking area.
HIKE: Locate the trailhead at a gate (N 37 18.394, W 107 53.809, 6,885 feet) and begin the hike. You’ll quickly come to a fork. Take the path left, crossing Dry Gulch. The path right is the Dry Gulch Trail. The north massif of Perins looms above. You could also climb this, but this trail description is of the east massif overlooking town.
In 1.3 miles the climbing begins in earnest, and the trail switchbacks up the mountain. At 2 miles the trail has basically reached the mesa top, although it still climbs gently.
Reach an old road at 2.2 miles and go left (east) on it, steeply uphill again (N 37 17.475, W 107 55.341, 8,000 feet). Reach the high point of the climb at 2.7 miles (N 37 17.435, W 107 54.992, 8,340 feet).
OPTIONS: You may feel like wandering eastward over to the point where you get a better view of town. There’s a little bit of downhill, and take care when you get near the ledge.
Another option—if you’re up for an adventure—is to climb the north Perins massif. Return to the 2.2-mile mark and take the trail heading left. (Down to your left around here is the old Boston Coal Mine and Perins City, which you may find traces of.) From the 2.2-mile junction it’s 2 miles along a path that is ill defined or nonexistent to this northern point, which ends in a serious cliff at 8,682 feet—340 feet higher than the peak we typically call Perins.
The impressive beak of Perins Peak, seen from the ridge just below the Hogsback.
DRY GULCH TO DURANGO
DISTANCE: 5.1 miles one-way
ELEVATION: Start at 7,315 feet, high point at 7,745 feet (430-foot gain), finish at 6,685 feet (1,060-foot drop)
RATING: Easy
TIME ALLOWED: 2 to 3 hours
Like the Perins Peak hike, this travels through land subject to wildlife closures. The Dry Gulch hike described here is all on Colorado Parks and Wildlife land, and is open for four months: August 1 through November 30. The closure is to protect breeding elk and deer in the winter, and nesting peregrine in the spring and early summer.
The peregrine has been officially delisted from the endangered species list, but the closure has remained in place to protect this still-rare bird that is said to reach over 200 miles per hour when diving at prey. If one swoops anywhere near you, you’ll hear it. It’s very cool.
Perins Peak’s north summit, as seen from the Dry Gulch Trail.
Note that hunting season begins in late August for archery and extends nearly through the end of December, depending on the animal and location. It’s a really good idea to wear a blaze orange vest, particularly during big-game rifle season in October and November. Check the Colorado Parks and Wildlife site (cpw.state.co.us) for specific dates.
The hike involves a vehicle shuttle. For the last mile of the hike you’ll be walking on a good gravel pedestrian path through the Rockridge subdivision. If you want to avoid this part, take your waiting vehicle up to the Perins Peak trailhead (see Perins Peak approach on page 35).
APPROACH: Drive west of Durango 3.5 miles on US 160 to a right turn on Lightner Creek Road (CR 207). Follow it 1 mile north to where Dry Fork Road (CR 208), a gravel road, veers off it to the right (north). This puts you into the wildlife area.
Continue 2 miles north, and where the road splits in a Y go right. Go another 0.25 miles to a cattleguard. Turn right, and go downhill in front of the guard to a small parking area (N 37 19.442, W 107 56.576).
The hike begins here; it ends at the intersection of Clovis and Borrego Drives on the west side of Durango, where another car can be parked. To find this spot from Durango, take Twenty-Fifth Street west off Main Avenue 0.5 miles to a left-hand turn on Clovis Drive. Follow Clovis to the top of a hill, where you’ll turn left onto Borrego. The trail end is just south of that intersection (N 37 17.774, W 107 53.154).
HIKE: From the western trailhead (N 37 19.438, W 107 56.574, 7,315 feet), cross Dry Fork and start hiking east. There should be a semblance of a trail or old road in this area, or maybe just a path through tamped-down grass. If you can follow the old, overgrown road, stick with it. Head up a shallow valley. In about a mile the north buttress of Perins Peak comes into view.
At 1.2 miles you will reach the high point of the hike (N 37 19.554, W 107 55.486, 7,745 feet) in a cluster of big ponderosa pines. From here on it is downhill, tending southeast, alternating between tall pines and open meadows as you follow the approximate path of Dry Gulch (not to be confused with Dry Fork, by the way).
Soon you’ll begin to see signs of civilization: a huge house to the north of Dry Gulch, then a couple of houses on the western outskirts of the Rockridge subdivision. You also may get lucky and see elk or deer, or bear, or even wild turkeys. Keep an eye open.
At 4.1 miles, pass through a gate and into a parking area for both this trail and the Perins Peak Trail (N 37 18.394, W 107 53.809, 6,885 feet). Hunters, of course, are frequent users of this lot. Continue down the road, cross Tanglewood, and find the gravel pedestrian path. At 5.1 miles, come to the intersection of Borrego and Clovis, locate your waiting vehicle, and try to remember where you placed your car keys.
BARNROOF POINT
DISTANCE: 5 miles round-trip
ELEVATION: Start at 6,960 feet, Barnroof’s top is 8,723 (1,763-foot gain)
RATING: Moderate, due to difficult bushwhacking
TIME ALLOWED: 3 to 4 hours
Two things you should know before attempting this hike:
One, Barnroof is heavily vegetated, especially with ponderosa pine and oak brush. The brush is from knee-high to 10 or 12 feet. It can be a real thicket, hard to get through, and hard to see where you’re going near the top as it flattens out. Because part of this hike will require bushwhacking, you should probably wear long pants. No, you should definitely wear long pants if you plan on reaching the top. The last half-mile is extremely thick.
Two, Barnroof Point is on Colorado Parks and Wildlife and US Bureau of Land Management property, and is closed to human traffic from December 1 (the end of hunting season) through April 15. Deer, elk, and grouse can often be seen on this mountain.
Barnroof is a low mountain southeast of the La Platas. It is interesting in that it stands as a single peak with valleys on all sides. This makes it a nice climb for presenting good views of surrounding territory, particularly the east side of the La Platas.
APPROACH: Drive west of Durango 3.5 miles on US 160 to a right turn on Lightner Creek Road (CR 207). Follow it 1 mile north to where Dry Fork Road, a gravel road, veers off it to the right (north). Turn onto this gravel road, then park immediately in a large parking area to the left (N 37 17.647, W 107 56.381, 6,960 feet). This is Parks and Wildlife land.
HIKE: Begin hiking by crossing Dry Fork, usually a very small stream or dry, and heading up the other side. Snake up an unmaintained path, and in 0.2 miles you’ll hit an abandoned road that nowadays looks more like just a trail. Follow this uphill (north).
After 0.5 miles this road ends; follow a less obvious trail that contours along for about a hundred feet then goes very steeply uphill. You may need to use your hands along this stretch, and if it’s muddy, it’ll be slick enough that you may want to go do another hike. After this steep scramble you’ll find yourself on the rim of what could be described as a gently uphill sloping mesa top (N 37 18.033, W 107 56.713, 7,630 feet).
Once on this rim, it will be easygoing for a while. The best bet is to stay close to the rim, but not so close that it scares the bejesus out of you—it’s a long way down. There will be many fine views of the valleys below and the peaks beyond.
The farther you go, the tougher the going gets and the less of a trail there is. At 2 miles, after more than a mile along the rim, the brush becomes very dense, and it’s very difficult to see where you’re going. Just continue up, up, up, bearing northwest, pushing through the dense brush, and ultimately, in another 0.5 miles you’ll find yourself at the top (N 37 19.008, W 107 57.693, 8,723 feet).
The view of the La Platas from the high point, the northwest corner of this sloping mesa, is fantastic. With a deep valley between, foothills sweep upward to the rocky high peaks, forming a majestic view.
The sights from atop the rim on Barnroof Point, looking down on Dry Fork Road.
COLORADO TRAIL: JUNCTION TO GUDY’S
DISTANCE: 8.6 miles round-trip to Gudy’s Rest
ELEVATION: Start at 6,960 feet, Gudy's Rest at 8,000 feet (1,040-foot gain)
RATING: Easy
TIME ALLOWED: 4 to 5½ hours
If you hike much around these parts, it won’t be too long before you bump into the Colorado Trail, a 486-mile tread that connects southwest Denver and the Durango environs. There have been pushes to lengthen the trail into downtown Durango, but those haven’t gained traction, so for now it’s about 4 miles by paved road from the town to the trailhead.
Southwest Colorado is fortunate to have a high percentage of these 486 miles, because the trail must do a lot of winding to get through the rugged San Juan Mountains. There are 78 miles of the trail in the Animas District (where Durango is located) of the San Juan National Forest alone.
This hike begins at the Durango trailhead. Other hikes on the Colorado Trail or parts of it are scattered throughout this book: Dry Fork Loop (page 45), Sliderock Trail to Kennebec Pass (page 68), Grizzly Peak (page 143), Hermosa Peak (page 149), Molas Trail (page 161), Sultan–Grand Turk (page 163), and Colorado Trail/Molas Pass (page 166). Another option is to take 5 to 7 weeks and backpack the whole darn thing—Denver to Durango, or vice versa—but that’s not what this book is about.
The Colorado Trail was conceived, and actually started, in the 1970s but soon languished. The idea nearly died until three groups got together and combined sponsorship: the US Forest Service, one of the originators of the concept; the Friends of the Colorado Trail, a group organized specifically to plan and promote construction of the trail; and the Colorado Mountain Club.
Gudy Gaskill (1927–2016) was appointed chairperson of the Club’s Huts and Trails Committee. The plan was to use existing trails as much as possible and to work out new connections between them. Progress was still slow and doubt grew over the next decade that the trail would ever be completed. In 1985 the project received a huge boost from Richard Lamm, then governor of Colorado and an avid hiker and jogger. He and Gudy Gaskill got together and planned to complete the trail within two years with all-volunteer labor. Gudy put a prodigious amount of effort into organizing work teams and assigning them to trail sections. In the last full summer, nearly a thousand volunteers were at work. Those volunteers included old-timers such as Donald Peel (father of this book’s author), a longtime Colorado Mountain Club member and president of the club in 1955.
The trail was completed and ceremonies were held to mark the event in Durango and Denver in September 1987. Work has continued since then. Former longtime Durangoan Bill Manning has been director of the Colorado Trail Foundation since 2006. For more information, visit ColoradoTrail.org.
APPROACH: Take Main Avenue to Twenty-Fifth Street and turn left (west). At the edge of town it becomes Junction Creek Road. Follow it 3.5 miles from Main to the San Juan National Forest. Just as you cross the cattleguard that marks the forest boundary, and just as the road turns from pavement to gravel, there’s a parking area and outhouse to the left, and the trail begins there (N 37 19.881, W 107 54.165, 6,960 feet).
Or to shorten the trip to Gudy’s Rest, continue on the gravel Junction Creek Road for 1.2 miles, where there is a sharp switchback to the northeast; not too far beyond this is the Junction Creek Campground, so if you get there you’ve gone too far. You can begin hiking west here at this switchback, and in 100 yards (N 37 20.267, W 107 55.194, 7,200 feet) you will strike the Colorado Trail.
HIKE: At first the trail follows closely alongside Junction Creek. This is a popular spot for families and dogs, who have plenty of places to cool off on a hot summer day. At 1.2 miles the trail connects with the spur trail coming from Junction Creek Road (mentioned in the Approach to shorten the hike) and then begins to rise away from the creek. It continues to rise gradually as it contours above—sometimes dizzyingly high above—Junction Creek.
Then at 2.2 miles (N 37 21.024, W 107 55.626, 7,520 feet) the trail begins its descent downhill toward Junction Creek. At 2.7 miles it crosses the stream over a good Forest Service bridge (N 37 21.291, W 107 55.668, 7,410 feet). It then begins a series of switchbacks up the steep canyonside. From the bridge, it’s 1.6 miles until the trail tops out at a nice rest area called Gudy’s Rest (N 37 21.185, W 107 55.900, 8,000 feet); there’s a bench there for you to take a break. It’s a popular spot to enjoy views down the valley toward Durango and the college mesa above town.
OPTIONS: The trail past Gudy’s Rest climbs gradually for 6.2 miles to what’s colloquially become known as High Point (9,550 feet). From there it descends 4.1 miles and 1,000 feet back into Junction Creek canyon and crosses Junction Creek at a nice bridge (8,520 feet) that looks out of place in what is basically backcountry. From here on, there is quite a bit of up and down (mostly up); you’ll arrive in 4.7 more miles at Champion Venture Road, the next possible road access. This is the beginning of the Sliderock Trail (see page 68).
A wintertime view down Junction Creek from the bench at Gudy’s Rest.
DRY FORK–HOFFHEINS LOOP
DISTANCE: 8.5-mile loop
ELEVATION: Start at 7,390 feet, high point at 8,680 feet (1,290-foot gain)
RATING: Easy
TIME ALLOWED: 3½ to 4½ hours
This loop trail starts along a drainage, then splits and moves up through big timber. The upper portion has a much different feel to it—thick woods with big timber—than the lower, drier portion.
This is a very busy trail in nice weather and is used by hikers, bikers, and horseback riders, with bikers predominant. It is a pleasant hike on a good trail and is shady most of the way. It’s close to town, and the added elevation takes a little edge off the summer heat.
If anyone’s curious, Don Hoffheins is a former Forest Service employee who helped facilitate the building of his namesake trail.
APPROACH: Drive west of Durango 3.5 miles on US 160 to a right turn on Lightner Creek Road (CR 207). Follow it 1 mile north to where Dry Fork Road, a gravel road, veers off to the right (north). Continue 2 miles north on Dry Fork Road; where the road splits in a Y, go right. Take the right side for 0.8 miles and make a left-hand turn toward the trailhead; there should be a sign directing you to the Hoffheins Connection or Dry Fork trail. In 100 yards you’ll come to a large parking area (N 37 19.870, W 107 56.316, 7,390 feet), suitable to turn around a truckload of whatever you may be hauling (bikes, horses, cattle, etc.).
HIKE: Start by crossing through a stock fence over a cattleguard. It’s 0.7 miles of mostly uphill trail to a second cattleguard, then uphill another 0.1 mile to a three-way intersection (N 37 20.355, W 107 56.717, 7,650 feet). Your choice—you can go either way. The Dry Fork Trail was built with the mindset of having a relatively easy grade; Hoffheins is steeper in places. For this description we’ll go clockwise, heading up the mellower Dry Fork Trail.
Climb gradually, up through aspen and pine forests. At 3 miles you’ll join an abandoned road that comes up from your left. At 3.5 miles there’s a fork in this road, and it should be pretty obvious to veer right, continuing uphill. Intersect with the Colorado Trail (N 37 21.355, W 107 58.295, 8,580) at 3.9 miles. Take a hard right, now heading east.
Climb a bit more, and at 4.1 miles reach the hike’s high point at 8,680 feet. This is a nondescript point, but you will be able to sneak a peek from here through the trees at Silver Mountain to the northwest. Although you’re not quite halfway, it’s all (almost all) downhill from here. It’s 2.3 miles from the high point to where the Hoffheins Connection Trail (N 37 21.131, W 107 56.110, 8,010 feet) splits off to the right (south) at 6.4 miles. But if you have any energy left, you’re going to want to make a short detour.
Just one-quarter mile east on the Colorado Trail is a spot called Gudy’s Rest (N 37 21.185, W 107 55.900, 8,000 feet; see page 42). It is a beautiful overlook where you can admire the continuing Colorado Trail far below in Junction Creek valley as it nears its Durango terminus. A resting bench has been placed here (actually replaced many, many times due to vandals) to honor Gudy Gaskill (1927–2016), whose stubbornness and hard work helped to complete the Colorado Trail in 1987. This enormous project connects Denver to Durango by foot trail, a distance of 486 miles.
Back at the intersection, take the Hoffheins Connection downhill to the three-way intersection with the Dry Fork Trail at 7.7 miles, and continue the final 0.8 miles downhill to the parking area.
OPTIONS: It’s not hard to make this a shorter or longer trip.
For a good short trip, just take the Hoffheins 2.1 miles to the Colorado Trail, and take the detour to Gudy’s Rest.
For a longer trip, extend your stay on the Colorado Trail in either direction. Going past Gudy’s Rest takes you down to Junction Creek in about 1.4 miles. You also lose about 600 feet elevation.
A cattleguard crossing sends you on the way at the Dry Fork trailhead.
Going west on the Colorado Trail at its junction with the Dry Fork Trail takes you as far as you’d ever want to go. Realistically, it’s 3.5 miles of mostly uphill to a place called Road End Canyon, or High Point. From here the trail drops down several hundred feet to Junction Creek. Unless you’re looking for an epic hike, it’s time to head back.
ANIMAS CITY MOUNTAIN
DISTANCE: 5.5-mile loop
ELEVATION: Start at 6,700 feet, high point at 8,161 feet (1,461-foot gain)
RATING: Easy
TIME ALLOWED: 2½ to 4 hours
This is an easy half-day hike near Durango. It is especially appealing in the fall and spring when the higher country is too chilly or covered with snow.
One caveat, however: This Bureau of Land Management property is closed from December 1 to April 15. During this period the BLM, in cooperation with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, chains off all but the lower part of Animas City Mountain to give elk and deer a quiet place to go.
A morning view of Durango on the southeast side of Animas Mountain.
The east (right) side of the loop is two trails that parallel and occasionally cross each other. The west side of the loop is an old four-wheel-drive road that is quite rough on the lower part. There is another trail on the western rim that some prefer due to its gentler slope.
The route described here goes up the west side on the old road and does a clockwise loop.
APPROACH: Take Thirty-Second Street west from Main Avenue in Durango to its west end on West Fourth Avenue. Turn right here and follow West Fourth to its end, where there is an off-camber gravel area for several cars that tend to park willy-nilly (N 37 18.172, W 107 52.354, 6,700 feet).
The trailhead has a sign with a map of the loop, and maps are posted along the route at most of the many intersections.
HIKE: Go north from the parking area; just past a power station you can go either left (steep uphill) or right (gentle uphill). Let’s say you go the easy way and go right. This route follows switchbacks uphill. Go right at the first intersection at 0.3 miles, but then stay left at the next one, 0.7 miles from the start. That takes you in about 50 yards to the old four-wheel-drive road, which tends north fairly steeply (N 37 18.303, W 107 52.567, 7,050 feet).
After a steady climb that eases the higher you go, at 2.4 miles you’ll come to an impressive overlook with some sandstone outcrops (N 37 19.683, W 107 52.329, 8,080 feet).
At this point you can look down the mountain’s steep north side into the Falls Creek Valley and northwest across the valley to the high La Plata Mountains. You can also see up the Animas River Valley to the town of Hermosa and well beyond, up into the West Needles.
To continue the loop from here, go east up the trail. It climbs almost another 100 feet of elevation before finally topping out at 2.6 miles (8,161 feet). The trail dips and rises back to the nearly identical top elevation, then at 2.9 miles it swings south. You’ll begin to get nice views of the Animas Valley and the tortuous, winding river amid pastures populated with horses and cattle and homes. There are also some old turns of the river, now bypassed and disconnected, known as oxbows. These accumulate water during snowmelt season or floods.
At 3.1 miles you’ll come to the first of three junctions where two branches of the same trail cross each other down the east side of the mountain (N 37 19.429, W 107 51.687). This probably goes without saying, but the views are better if you stay closer to the rim, and the distance is approximately the same. It’s 1.9 miles from the first of the three junctions to the intersection near the old four-wheel-drive road. There are several return options from here, but if you go straight here, taking the steeper way down, you’ll reach the parking area at 5.5 miles.
OPTIONS: There’s a newer trail that goes up the western rim of this uplifted, mesa-like mountain. This trail offers good views of the Falls Creek drainage and the La Plata Mountains during the upper part of the climb. It’s a little longer, but it’s a little bit less steep than the other two options.
At the spot where you intersect with the old four-wheel-drive road (N 37 18.303, W 107 52.567, 7,050 feet), go up the road 0.1 miles and look for a trail taking off uphill to the left (N 37 18.387, W 107 52.575, 7,160 feet). Take that trail, which hovers around the rim, to a three-way intersection at the 1.4 mile mark (N 37 18.693, W 107 52.898, 7,351 feet).
Go right at the three-way and make your way up very steadily. At 2.9 miles, just as you connect with the other trail on the west side (to your right), you’ll reach the rocky outcrop overlook described above.
LOG CHUTES
DISTANCE: 4.7 miles for the short loop, 6.3 miles for the long loop
ELEVATION: Start at 7,520 feet, high point of farthest trail is 8,400 feet (880-foot gain)
RATING: Easy
TIME ALLOWED: 2½ to 4½ hours
These trails, former logging roads reconditioned back in the 1990s, are not far from Durango in the Junction Creek area. Two main loops are discussed here, but there are several other options off these loops. A newer, eastern trail has become popular, particularly among the mountain bike crowd. This is on San Juan National Forest land.
APPROACH: Take Twenty-Fifth Street west off Main Avenue. This soon becomes Junction Creek Road (CR 204). It’s 3 miles to a Y-intersection where you’ll veer left; going right takes you up Falls Creek Road (CR 205).
In another 0.6 miles you’ll reach the National Forest boundary at a cattleguard; at this same point, the paved road becomes gravel. Also here is the southern terminus for the Colorado Trail. The road soon turns into a twisting, climbing mountain road. From the boundary, go 1.8 miles (you’ll pass Junction Creek Campground) and turn right into a parking area for the Log Chutes Trails (N 37 20.405, W 107 54.495, 7,520 feet). A closed gate bars the way to vehicles just past the parking area.
A view of the La Platas on the western side of the Log Chutes Trails.
HIKE: Head east on a slight uphill grade on the closed-off road. You’ll be using former roads of various widths most of the way. In 1.1 miles turn left off this road and go northeast uphill (N 37 20.343, W 107 54.753, 7,660 feet). At 1.7 miles, after 0.6 miles of mostly climbing, you’ll reach a flat spot where the shorter trail loop splits off to the left (west) (N 37 20.534, W 107 53.337, 7,930 feet).
For the long loop, continue on another 100 yards to where another trail splits left (northwest) off the old road. This trail is marked “more difficult,” to help mountain bikers decide the right route. From here the trail climbs to the north for a half-mile, then levels out and stays around 8,200 feet elevation for 1.3 miles as it again follows an old road. At 3.5 miles the trail takes off to the right (northwest) uphill on a singletrack trail, and climbs 200 feet more before reaching Junction Creek Road at 3.9 miles (N 37 21.367, W 107 54.668, 8,350 feet).
Go left downhill on Junction Creek Road for only about 10 yards, locating the trail on the other side. This trail (actually an old road) heads slightly uphill for another 0.1 miles before coming to another old road, which you’ll turn left onto and head steeply downhill (N 37 21.427, W 107 54.697, 8,400 feet). This trail has been used for downhill races, and it’s possible that downhillers could be training on it. In any case, be aware that many mountain bikers use these trails.
From the road crossing it’s 1.5 miles to a corral that’s on the right side of the trail. At this point, 5.5 miles into the hike, the short loop trail joins the long loop. You’re hiking on a two-track old road. A hundred yards past the corral, as you turn from going south-southeast to almost due east, there’s a trail that heads south. This trail takes you to the Colorado Trail near Junction Creek Campground. Instead, go another 100 yards due east and find a trail that heads south-southeast off the two-track (N 37 20.647, W 107 55.106, 7,710 feet); if you suddenly reach Junction Creek Road you’ve gone too far.
From here it’s 0.7 miles back to the parking area. At the end you’ll cross the road one more time before arriving back at your car.
OPTIONS: The shorter option was pretty well explained on page 52. From the point where you go left off the longer loop, it’s 2.2 miles to the corral. This trail dips and climbs a bit, but mostly remains at approximately the same altitude.
There are several trails to the east of the main loops that you could take and add some more distance or see a new piece of land. One goes out to a nice overlook of Falls Creek, although for much of this stretch those darn ponderosa pine trees kind of get in the way of your view.
RAIDER RIDGE
DISTANCE: 4.6 miles round-trip
ELEVATION: Start at 6,600 feet, high point at 7,480 feet (880-foot gain)
RATING: Easy
TIME ALLOWED: 2 to 3 hours
This is the first of four hikes that are part of the Telegraph Trail system, an interconnected set of trails just east of downtown Durango. (You can probably count the Skyline Trail on page 62 in here too.) Really, these four hikes are just suggestions and a way of introducing the hiker to this system, which also include Meadow Loop and Telegraph Trail (page 56), Carbon Junction Trail (page 58) and Sale Barn Canyon (page 60).
Raider Ridge is an easy hike out of Durango. It offers nice views down over parts of the city, the Fort Lewis College campus, the east side of the La Platas, and the south side of some of the San Juans.
The name “Raider Ridge” comes from the former mascot of the Fort Lewis athletic teams. At one time, students maintained a big “R” on the campus side of this ridge. The Raiders have been the Skyhawks since the 1990s, but the ridge often is still called the politically incorrect Raider.
Some of this ridge is owned by the city of Durango; a good chunk of land is actually private property. The ridge is a steep sandstone uplift tilted 10 to 15 degrees to the southeast, known by geologists as a “hogback.”
You can often hike or run this trail in midwinter without too much problem, although there can be some snow and, less conducive to decent hiking, mud. This route from Horse Gulch presents the sunny side of the ridge, where snow tends to melt fairly rapidly.
Many trails in the Telegraph system were built in the late 1990s and early 2000s with the impetus of Trails 2000, a local trails advocacy group. Raider Ridge, however, is an older trail. Mountain bikers are the main users of this system, but Raider Ridge does not get quite as many of them, particularly the “extended” ridge, which is the hike described here.
APPROACH: From East Eighth Avenue, head east on Third Street a block to a paved parking area (N 37 15.883, W 107 52.329, 6,600 feet). Don’t park at the Horse Gulch Medical Complex just to the west. Third Street turns into a dirt county road, closed to public motor vehicles. There should be a porta-potty or two here.
HIKE: Hike up Horse Gulch Road 1 mile (0.3 miles past the Meadow Loop turnoff) to where an old unmarked road splits from the main road at a 120-degree left turn (N 37 16.065, W 107 51.495, 6,940 feet). This trail heads west for 0.1 miles, where it splits again. Go right (north) uphill on what’s called Rocky Road.
Looking up the Raider Ridge Trail. The suggested route comes down from the background and goes downhill to the right here along the black dirt section.
At 1.4 miles you’ll reach another junction (N 37 16.314, W 107 51.573, 7,220 feet). Up ahead and to the left is a steep hillside of black dirt with a trail leading up it. This is the short way (about 100 yards from here) to the top of the ridge, and it’s the route you’ll come down if you follow these directions.
Instead of going up the black dirt hillside, go right, continuing on the remnants of the old road. At 2.2 miles, after a 200-foot gain, reach the top of the “extended” ridge, a saddle from where you’ll get an excellent view (N 37 16.763, W 107 50.966, 7,420 feet). Straight north, the Animas Valley opens in front of you, and you can see all the way to the West Needle Mountains. The La Plata Mountains rise west above the city. Down below are the golf course and the SkyRidge development.
Take the trail that heads west, uphill briefly, along the ridge to the high point of this hike at 7,482 feet. Enjoy the many splendid views along the ridge. At 3.1 miles you’ll come to the black dirt mentioned previously. From the black dirt, head downhill and retrace your route back to the trailhead.
OPTIONS: From the saddle at the top of the extended ridge you have several choices. You could turn right, continuing up the extended ridge to the northeast. You could go down the new SkyRaider Trail to the Powerline Trail and get back to the Horse Gulch trailhead that way. Or you could go downhill to the left in the ridge and make your way down from the black dirt.
MEADOW LOOP–TELEGRAPH TRAIL
DISTANCE: 5.1 miles round-trip
ELEVATION: Start at 6,600 feet, top of Telegraph at 7,480 feet (880-foot gain)
RATING: Easy
TIME ALLOWED: 2 to 3 hours
This hike heads up Horse Gulch, just like Raider Ridge, but this time you head east instead of north, cruising the east side of the Meadow Loop and up Telegraph Trail. Options abound, and this is really just a suggestion for myriad hikes in the area. You could hike this area for weeks and not do exactly the same loop. The trailhead is just a few blocks southeast of downtown Durango. It’s accessible nearly year-round; the only time it’s not a decent place for a hike is when muddy.
It’s a very popular spot for mountain biking, which you’ll notice quickly, so be on the lookout. However, most mountain bikers are courteous when they’re not racing, and a smile goes a long way.
From Horse Gulch, the trail leads out toward Meadow. The Telegraph Trail can be seen snaking up the hillside in the background.
APPROACH: From East Eighth Avenue, head east on Third Street one block to a small parking area (N 37 15.883, W 107 52.329, 6,600 feet). Third Street turns into a dirt county road, closed to motor vehicles.
HIKE: Head up the dirt road, passing around the gate that shuts off the road to vehicles. In 0.7 miles turn right off the main road (N 37 15.850, W 107 51.681, 6,760 feet) onto the Meadow Loop, which follows the remnants of a road before veering off to the left at 0.9 miles and crossing the large meadow.
Keep right where there are trail options, and at 1.4 miles head up the Telegraph Trail. There should be trail maps posted along the way to help guide you. Telegraph climbs slowly as it contours east, west, south, and back east again, joining up finally near the top with the old telegraph road built early in the twentieth century. The distance from the parking area to the top of the Telegraph Trail (N 37 15.536, W 107 50.706, 7,480 feet) is 2.7 miles.
