Dallas Trail at West Dallas Creek Road

The West Dallas Creek Road provides an access to the Uncompahgre National Forest on the north side of the Mount Sneffels Wilderness area, near Ridgway in southwest Colorado. The access road is a south turn off of Colorado Route 62 about 17 miles east of the junction of Colorado Routes 62 and 145 and 5 or 6 miles west of Ridgway.

 It is about 6.2 miles along the West Dallas Creek Road to the Forest Boundary. I parked at the boundary as the road gets rougher and has several large mud holes beyond the boundary. It is about 1 mile of walking to the point where the Dallas Trail crosses the Forest Road 850.

The Dallas Trail runs east and west for about 8 miles, with this access point being at about the center. There is a meadow with a primitive camping area in the vicinity of the Dallas Trail trailheads.

I followed the Dallas Trail west. The first segment climbs through Aspen and Spruce Fir forest. There is a crossing of the West Fork of Dallas Creek just before this trailhead. It took me about 0:25 minutes of walking on Road 850 to actually arrive at the trail. It appears that the Dallas Trail leading east is popular with mountain bikers.

After about 0.5 miles the trail arrives as a meadow area and crosses a small creek. The best views of the nearby mountains are along the ascending trail across the meadow.

The east end of this range of peaks includes Wolcott Mountain at 13,041 feet. The whole ridge appears to be near or above 13,000 feet.

The highest peak in this group is Mears Peak at 13,496 feet. The beginning elevation at the Road 850 trail at the forest boundary is at about 8800 feet and the actual trail head is about 9200 feet. These mountain views are from about 9500 feet.

After the meadow, the trail re-enters forest and continues west for about 1 mile before there is a view point to the north. The knobby mountain is South Baldy at 9829 feet. There are many peaks visible in the distant north. The West Dallas Creek Road is visible in this view.

I turned around at this view point. My total hike was for 3:40 hours for about 7 miles. It was a 75 F degree early September day and I carried and drank 3 liters of water. There were several horse riders and bow elk hunters in the area, and I saw 1 mountain biker.

Lone Cone Trail and Woods Lake Loop

The Woods Lake area is a Trailhead for the Woods Lake, Wilson Mesa, and Lone Cone Trails. Woods Lake is about 10 miles west of Telluride, Colorado on Highway 145, then 8 miles south on Fall Creek Road. There are several connecting tie trails near the campground and lake area that allow a 5 mile loop hike using the Lone Cone and Woods Lake Trails.

I started on the Woods Lake Trail and after about 10 minutes of walking turned right on the trail called the Woods Lake Tie. This segment climbs somewhat and heads west high above the south side of Woods Lake. The terrain here is thick Spruce and Fir forest. There are some glimpses of the lake but no clear views. I saw two Red Squirrels along this segment, sometimes called Pine Squirrels or Chickarees in Colorado. They scampered very close to me but were too quick for a picture.

There are two small creek crossings before arriving at a log bridge and a clearing in the forest. Across the bridge there is a trail junction with the Lone Cone Tie Trail. A right turn leads back toward the campground area. I turned left and continued on toward the longer loop options. It took me about 0:45 minutes to arrive at this junction.

This segment has some views over a meadow with Dolores Peak, Middle Peak and Dunn Peak visible. In late August many of the wildflowers looked finished for the season but there were several still in bloom.

About 10 minutes and a short distance further there is another trail junction that doesn’t appear on the trailhead map. There is a constructed water management channel with a service road along the side. The official trail continues west along the service road, but a hiker could turn back east and follow the road back to the campground. I continued west along the channel. The wildflowers were best along this watery segment.

I saw a porcupine along the channel segment. It was on the ground rather than in a tree and it didn’t run into the brush but instead turned its tail toward me and held its position, counting on its 15,000 to 30,000 quills as a deterrent. The service road segment ends at a flume and diversion structure. It is confusing at this point, but the trail crosses over some boards that are laying across the flume, and heads uphill following switchbacks.

After 1:30 hours total of hiking I arrived at the junction of the Lone Cone Trail and the Lone Cone Tie. I turned back at this junction and followed the Lone Cone Trail back to the trailhead area. The trail sign says 2 miles from the Woods Lake Trail to here but it felt more like 3 miles.

From the junction, the Lone Cone Trail looked like it was going to continue to climb through Aspen forest without any immediate good mountain views. Lone Cone Peak, the western most of the Colorado peaks over 12,000 feet isn’t visible from this loop route.

The return segment is gradually downhill through mostly Aspen forest with a park like understory. I saw a pair of Gray Jays along here. This return segment took about 0:50 minutes for a total hike of 2:20 hours for about 5 miles. It was a 72 F degree day with clouds starting to form rain showers in the late afternoon. I carried and drank 3 liters of water.

Calico Winter Trail Short Loop

The Calico Winter Trail begins at the Calico Trailhead, a short distance south of the Meadows area of the Lizard Head Wilderness in southwest Colorado. Eagle Creek Road, Forest Road 471, makes a junction with the Dunton Road, Forest Road 535, and leads south to the trailhead area.

The main Calico Trail leads south and climbs to some spectacular views of the Lizard Head area mountains. The Winter Trail leads southwest and stays relatively level. There is a short loop option that doesn’t seem to appear on all the maps. The starting elevation here is about 10,200 feet.

The first mile of trail follows along a wide meadow area. At one point there is a good view of the Colorado 14ers Mt. Wilson and El Diente to the north across a rich wildflower meadow. The Winter Trail is overshadowed in this immediate area by the Navajo Lake Trail, but wildflower enthusiasts might want to at least visit this first mile of trail.

The trail continues across more meadow and the Lizard Head formation comes into view. At this oversized rock cairn there is an easy crossing of Morrison Creek.

After the creek crossing, the creek drops into a rocky canyon and the trail enters deep spruce forest with only one spot where there is a view, toward Dolores Peak.

After about 2 miles of hiking, there is a trail junction with a sign saying that Eagle Creek Road is 0.25 miles away. I chose to follow this short cut back to the road where it is 1.75 miles back to the trailhead. The trail junction with the forest road is well marked with a sign so a hike of the more distant loop could start along the road.

The Winter Trail continues on through the forest and there are several loop options possible in this area using the Calico Trail and Fall Creek Trail and the Eagle Peak forest road. My total hike took 1:40 hours for about 4 miles. It was about 65 F degrees in early August while I hiked and I carried 2 liters of water.

Kilpacker Wildflowers

Near the turnoff to the Kilpacker Trail, there is a particularly lush August wildflower meadow. This area is along Forest Road 535 on the south edge of the Lizard Head Wilderness in southwest Colorado. On the maps this area is identified as “The Meadows.”

Besides the Kilpacker Trail, the other hiking trails near the Meadows include the Navajo Lake Trail, the Groundhog Stock Trail, and the Calico and Winter Trails. This area can be approached from the south along the West Fork Dolores Road that is 12 miles north of the town of Dolores, or from the Dunton Road that connects with Highway 145 south of the Lizard Head Pass area.

Two of the Colorado 14ers visible from the Meadows area, Mt. Wilson at 14,246 feet to the right and the tooth shaped El Diente at 14,159 feet to the left. The white Yarrows and yellow Asters are lush here along with purplish Daisies (all Composits). The elevation here is about 10,200 feet.

The blue Monkshoods (Buttercup) seemed particularly tall and thick here. Most of the Evergreen forest appeared to be Engelmann spruce, not many Aspens visible here.

The bright red Indian Paintbrush (Snapdragon) adds a lot of color. In this vicinity there are also yellpw Shrubby Cinquefoils (Rose) and a few pink Elephant Heads (Snapdragon).

This Prairie Smoke in the Rose Family is one that I haven’t noticed before. I noticed these both here and along part of the nearby Winter Trail.

Lizard Head Pass July Wildflowers

The Lizard Head Pass, along Highway 145, south of Telluride, in southwest Colorado, is a popular area and has hiking trail heads leading in several directions. In summer, the moist meadow areas are rich in wildflowers. It is possible to hike between Lizard Head Pass and the Cross Mountain Trail Head area and view the wildflowers along with the several mountain peaks that are visible.

I started my hike on the east side of Highway 145 near the East Fork Trail Head, and started walking north through the grassy meadow. There isn’t a trail on the east side, but the walking is mostly easy. From where I started, there are good views west toward the Lizard Head, Cross Mountain and Black Face. The yellow rose blooms of the Shrubby Cinquefoil stand out all along the meadow area. There are also purpleish Daisies and Buttercups here.

One of the most eye catching of flowers in this area is the Elephant Head in the Snapdragon Family. These are in the moist spots and there are broad patches of them along the way.
 

False Hellebore often grows in dense patches but not all of them bloom. The Navajo Lake Trail on the west side of the Lizard Head Wilderness has large fields of these.

Monkshood is a tall blue flower in the Buttercup Family. At first glance it might be confused with Larkspurs. Cross Mountain is in the distance. The popular Cross Mountain Trail provides a good view on the way to the base of the Lizard Head.

Red patches of Indian Paintbrush are common and visible from a distance. I think there are many species of these in the genus Castelleja of the Snapdragon Family.

There is a creek crossing about half way to Lizard Head Pass and the Yellow Mountain group visible from the pass come into view. The north half of the east side has broad patches of Elephant Heads mixed with white Bistorts in the Buckwheat Family.

Also mixed in with the Elephant Heads are a few Rose Crowns from the Stonecrop Family. I didn’t see very many of these.

I think these are Bluebells in the Mertensia genus of the Borage Family. These are in the area close to the Lizard Head Pass interpretive area, close to where I saw the Rose Crowns.

The return hike on the west side of Highway 145 can follow a rough road that appears to be a buried power line route. The walking is easier and there are good views of the moist meadow area on the east side. Many of the same flowers are visible but more along the several creeks that flow across the trail. My total hike took about 2:30 hours for about 4 miles. The swcoloradowildflowers.com web site is an excellent source for identifying regional wildflowers.

Animas Forks toward Engineer Pass-Alpine Loop

The south end of the Engineer Pass segment of the Alpine Loop begins at the Animas Forks Ghost Town, about 12 miles north of Silverton on County Road 2 in southwest Colorado.

The Engineer Pass Road is one of several options for hikers after arriving at the historic Animas Forks site. I began hiking at the base of the ghost town and climbed toward the nearby junction with the Cinnamon Pass Road.

This road climbs steadily but not very steeply and in mid July there are lush wildflowers on the tundra slopes. The starting elevation at Animas Forks is 11,300 feet.
 

As the climbing progresses north, there are good views of the overall Animas Forks site, including the Frisco Mill located a short distance up the California Gulch Road.
 

There are a few signs of mining activity along here. The ore in this area was about 5% valuable metals and the left over tailings piles are common.

After about 1:10 hours of hiking there is a small mountain lake. There is a small old structure near the lake.

I turned around after 1:20 hours and about 2.8 miles at the junction where the Engineer Pass Road gets steeper and narrower. The road to the left leads toward Ouray. The elevation at the junction is about 12,080 feet, a climb of about 800 feet from Animas Forks. The Engineer Pass is the highest point on the Alpine Loop with an elevation of 12,800 feet. From the junction, it is about 2 more miles and 700 feet higher to get to the pass.
 

My return hike took 1:10 hours for a total hike of 2:30 hours for about 5.8 miles. There were many vehicles using the trail, but I didn’t see any other hikers, mountain bikers, or horse riders. It was a 65 F degree day with some clouds but no rain. I carried and drank 2 liters of water.

Silverton to Animas Forks-Alpine Loop

The Alpine Loop is 65 miles of scenic and historic old mining routes in the San Juan Mountains in southwest Colorado. One of the access points is to follow County Road 2 north out of Silverton, CO. Two wheel drive vehicles can make it about 12 miles to the Animas Forks Ghost Town, but beyond 4WD is necessary.

There are several points of interest along the way. Not very far out of Silverton are the Mayflower Mill and Arrastra Gulch. Mining activity began here in 1870 with the discovery of gold and the formation of the Little Giant Mining Company. Activity continued here until 1991.

Many mining innovations occurred in this area, including the use of metal towers for trams like those visible here. These trams allowed work to continue year round. This was also the area that developed the concept and use of tailing ponds rather than dumping the waste material into the rivers.
 

Howardsville is about 4 miles north along the Alpine Loop. Founded in 1874, Howardsville was the first attempted settlement on the west slope of the Colorado Territory. The arrival of the Denver and Rio Grande Railway in Silverton in 1882 diminished Howardsville importance, but for a while it was the county Seat for all of southwest Colorado.

About 4 miles further is Eureka. There are large concrete remains of the Sunnyside Mill, but I didn’t see any interpretive information on this site. This is a ghost town that has mostly disappeared. At Eureka there is a campground and it is a staging area for ATV riders.

The road continuing north from Eureka to Animas Forks becomes narrower, steeper, and bumpier but is still drivable for most vehicles. The road follows the railroad grade that reached Animas Forks is 1904 to service the Gold Prince Mill.

There are some remnants of mining activity along the road. There are many side roads and trails in this area besides the main Alpine Loop route. Most of the visitors in this area that I saw are 4WD and ATV riders, but there are many opportunities here for hikers. Up ahead are the Animas Forks Ghost Town and the options for 4WD or hiking continuing on the Engineer Pass Road, the Cinnamon Pass Road or the California Gulch Loop Road.

Animas Forks Ghost Town-Alpine Loop

The historic mining town of Animas Forks is located about 12 miles north of Silverton, CO at the junction of the North Fork and West Fork of the Animas River. It is one of the attractions on the 65 mile Alpine Loop in the San Juan Mountains.

There is a 13 stop walking tour brochure for interpretation of the Animas Forks site. I found one at the Silverton visitor center for $1. The brochure might be available at the site, but I think they were all taken when I visited. There was an initial boom here between 1876 and 1884. A fire that started in the Kalamazoo Hotel on October 22, 1891 destroyed the hotel and 13 other buildings.
 

The Duncan House is stop No. 1 and one of the most eye catching of the remaining buildings. It was built in 1879 by miner and mail carrier William Duncan for his family.

The second stop is also a private two room residence for a miner and storekeeper and was constructed around 1898.

Stops 3 through 7 are close by and are also residence related buildings. Stop 4 is the Gustavson House built in 1907. Gustavson was a storekeeper and tram operator in nearby Eureka.
 

top 8 is the remains of the Gold Prince Mill, built in 1904 at a cost of $500,000. It was the first mill in Colorado with a steel superstructure. It only operated for six years, then was disassembled and rebuilt in nearby Eureka.

The Silverton Northern Railroad was completed in 1904 next to the mill, Stop 9, and transported the ore to the New York and San Juan Smelters in Durango. There are remains of the aerial tram at Stop 11 that brought the ore 12,600 feet from the Gold Prince Mine that is located somewhere to the west.

Stop 12 is the Columbus Mine and Columbus Mill. In 1882 the mine had a 107 foot tunnel and a 35 foot shaft into Houghton Mountain. This mine produced galena ore which is high in lead. This mine was last worked in 1939.

The Animas Forks Jail is stop 10 and is located at the edge of the community overlooking the combined North and WestForks of the Animas River. It was constructed using two by six inch boards assembled sideways for a stronger structure. The door with barred windows is on display at the San Juan County Museum in Silverton.

From the Animas Forks area there are three immediate choices for hiking in this area. The Engineer Mountain Pass Road continues north. The Cinnamon Pass Road turns east and the California Gulch Road heads west. Stop 13 at the Frisco Mill is about 0.7 miles away along the California Gulch Road.