Locating the Pitkin Lake Trailhead is easy. To avoid trampling sensitive vegetation and to prevent soil erosion, please stay on the trail at all times. Beautiful trail, nice mix of forested trail and open meadows, several streams. Trail Highlights:The trail climbs steeply from the trailhead through aspen groves for the first mile. From the trailhead, walk 1/8 mile to the signed North Trail/Davos Trail junction and take a right onto the North Trail. Only 1st 20 min is difficult, but you should have some hiking experience. But maybe it was meant to be. One thing I learned here is that the weather channel says one thing, but the actual weather is completely opposite . Get the app Download GPX File Features Hiking Dog Friendly Forest Lake Scenic begging to be jumped into if not for the chill. Six trails are hikers-only (and two are limited to bikes), with the rest accommodating everyone. The first 4 miles of the trail climbs alongside Gore Creek. Trail Adopted By:Vail Public Safety, Vail Recreation District, East West Partners, Town of Vail Employees, Marriott Streamside, Length:3.73 miles (one way)Difficulty:Easy. Along the way, there are good views of Vail Mountain. Trailhead is on right side of the road. Trail Adopted By:Howard Head Sports Medicine, Length:4.8 miles (one way)Difficulty:More Difficult. Begin the descent to Red Sandstone via a series of switchbacks where the stand of aspen begins to thin. At about 2.5 miles - halfway to the top - you'll get a good view of Pitkin Falls. The entire trail is 12 miles long and spans from East Valley Trail on the western end and the Val Pass Trail on the eastern end. The trailhead is located around 9,075 feet. Turn to the north and proceed on North Frontage Road to Red Sandstone Road #700. . Three hours up, 2 hrs 35 min down. This trail enters the Holy Cross Wilderness regulations are posted at the trailhead. Bus to Hike:Take the freeWest Vail Red busand get off at the Buffehr Creek bus stop. Insider Hints for Pitkin Lake Trail If you hike this trail, go to the very end. The last 1/4 mile to Booth Lake is steep and rocky. Obtain their Colorado Fishing Regulations handbook for regulations. Look for and find the trail head marker that stands alone and is clearly visible. The trail then flattens out a bit, and you reach Booth Falls at mile two. 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. It's a short distance before the trail makes a left turn to begin a steep ascent out of the valley to Pitkin Lake. Access:Travel west on I-70 to Exit 173 for West Vail. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. There is a $16 fee, and 10 day occupancy limit. The Minturn Mile is best accessed after spending the day at Vail, but can be done so with skins and skis from the base. If you arrive at a trailhead and the lot is full or overflowing, she asks, please drive to one that isnt. From westbound I-70, exit #180 and turn right (east) on the north frontage road. 855 Horse Ranch Dr, Snowmass Village, CO 81615. The Pitkin Trail begins in East Vail and ends at Pitkin Lake: The first mile of the trail is strenuous as it climbs steeply out of the Vail Valley. Past the deck there will be a trail that you can follow out onto the edge of the mountain called the W Vail Trail. From the fork, both forks climb steeply though spruce and fir forest into the alpine tundra. . After winding through another drainage, the North Trail begins its descent into Buffehr Creek via a series of switchbacks. To access the trailhead, drive 4 blocks South to the end of 2nd Avenue from Frisco's Main Street. The trail plateaus to a disperse aspen forest, offering shade to cool you off after the steep ascent. We have standards for how many groups of people a user should interact with on a hike. Overcrowding not only has physical effects, but its also degrading the wilderness character as defined by the Wilderness Act of 1964., In particular jeopardy, she notes, is a core principle of the Act, which defines wilderness as an area where the earth and its community of life are untrammeled by man, where man himself is a visitor who does not remain., I worry about our trails getting over-loved, Bazan stresses. This is a modest 18.5 mile-long river with lots to offer outdoor recreation visitors. Big Pine Lake 9. Pitkin Lake Booth Lake Lake, 2 miles west Upper Piney Lake 2 miles northwest Keller Mountain Peak, 2 miles east The Spider Peak, 2 miles west Upper Slate Lake 3 miles north Popular Destinations in Colorado Denver Colorado Springs Boulder Aurora Tourists don't know where they've been, travelers don't know where they're going. 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'). The Meadow Mountain trail follows an old logging road above Dowd Junction. 4 Bath. Campfires are not permitted above or within .25 miles (440 yards) of treeline, or within 100' of any lake or stream in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area. At Sky Mountain Park, the soil moisture at 8- and 20-inch depths was the same in 2018 and 2021 into mid-May . The steep, high-elevation hike takes adventurers about 11,500 feet above sea level to Booth Lake, a body of water high in the mountains. 36 Lake, Stephen 15 Lane, Libby 52 Mason, Beverley 3 Mullally, Sarah 44 Nelson, Hugh 26 . Agreed, Booth Lake and that area are absolutely gorgeous. After a strenuous set of switchbacks, youll reap your first watery reward 2.5 miles from the trailhead (a cascade 200 yards to the east), followed by another waterfall a mile beyond and finally, after another 1.3 miles, Pitkin Lake.Distance: 4.8 miles each wayElevation gain: 2,921 feetDifficulty: DifficultGet there: From the Vail Village or Lionshead parking structures, take the East Vail Blue Line to the Falls at Vail bus stop; follow Fall Line Drive uphill a quarter mile to the trailhead. Such a good trail! We got some sun, but mostly cloudy with rain & hail! It fills a large cirque just above treeline at the head of a broad, glacier-carved valley. 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. Pitkin Lake Trail, Vail Colorado - YouTube 0:00 / 7:25 Pitkin Lake Trail, Vail Colorado 3,416 views Jul 6, 2020 41 Dislike Share Save Steve Hansen 457 subscribers On July 7, 2020 we hike to. Where the trail switchbacks, please stay on the trail and do not cut the switchbacks. 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). After passing the sign, the trail continues to strenuously climb for another kilometer before leveling out. Linda Hayes The trailhead is on the left at the first turn in the road. Trail Adopted By:Eagle Summit Wilderness Alliance, WEBSITE DESIGN BY GRANICUS - Connecting People and Government, North Trail (Trapper's Run) (CLOSED April 15 June 20), North Trail (Cortina Lane to Buffehr Creek) (CLOSED April 15 June 20), North Trail (Buffehr Creek to Red Sandstone) (CLOSED April 15 June 20), North Trail (Red Sandstone to Son of Middle Creek) (CLOSED April 15 June 20), Son of Middle Creek (CLOSED April 15 June 20), Buffehr Creek Trail (CLOSED April 15 June 20). 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.) SagaCity Media | 921 SW Washington St, Suite 750 | Portland, Oregon 97205, By Amazing in the fall. After a number of false summits, the trail reaches Pitkin Lake, nestled beneath an arc of gray granite in the alpine tundra. Blodgett Lake. Its pretty steep in the beginning but it levels out and you get moments of not so much incline to break with. At Wildwood, follow the Ptarmigan Loop west to Ptarmigan Ridge, where, as legend has it, World War II veteran Pete Seibert and rancher Earl Eaton first gazed out over the Bowls in 1957, envisioned them filled with snow, and decided to build Vail Resort.Distance: 1.3 miles each way (plus 2 miles for the Ptarmigan Loop)Difficulty: ModerateElevation gain: 648 feet (add 119 feet for the Ptarmigan Loop)Get there: Eagle Bahn Gondola. Discover this 10.5-mile out-and-back trail near Vail, Colorado. From here the trail enters an aspen stand, and openings along the way provide scenic views to the south and east. Pitkin, LA Weather Forecast | AccuWeather Current Weather 7:26 AM 62 F RealFeel 63 RealFeel Shade 63 Air Quality Excellent Wind N 1 mph Wind Gusts 4 mph Cloudy More Details Current Air. Amazing! What this trip may lack in overall miles, it more than makes up for in elevation gain, scrambling, boulder hopping, and overall hard miles on the trail. Pitkin Lake For a day filled with hiking, choose the Pitkin Lake Trail. 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 half is more difficult with rocky trails. Trail was all ours remainder of hike. But very few people made the trip there. Dogs are permitted; while they do not need to be on leash, they do need to be under verbal control in order to protect wildlife and the hiking experience of other trail users. Dogs are permitted, butmust be kept on a leashin order to protect wildlife and the hiking experience of other trail users. Continue north approximately another 1/2 mile, ascending a series of switchbacks, to the North Trail junction and stay right. Very rewarding once you get to the meadows. Pitkin Lake Trail Hard Booth Lake Trail Hard El Paso County Hikes Cheyenne Mountain State Park Talon - Dixon -Dragon Backbone Hard Chautauqua Mountain Moderate Garden of The Gods Easy Mount Esther via Crowe Gulch Moderate North Cheyenne Canyon Park - St. Mary's Falls Moderate Palmer Trail Section 16 Moderate Paint Mines Interpretive Park Easy The Gore's are a rough and remote section of the Eagle's Nest Wilderness. This trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness, which has special regulations to protect wilderness resources. Will not show on comments list. Access:From I-70, take Exit 176 for Vail. Only used to identify you to ProTrails. Insect repellant and sun screen are nice in season. Take a walk on the not-quite-so-wild side this summer to preserve the valleys most-hiked trails. Difficulty: Moderately strenuous. . A year later, when the pandemic idled Vail Villages festival season and a statewide lockdown sent locals and Front Rangers into a get-outdoors frenzy, 50,560 hikers (a 63 percent increase) stomped up the Booth Lake Trail, leaving illegally parked SUVs clogging both shoulders of Booth Falls Road, as well as piles of trash and biological waste from humans and off-leash dogs. From westbound I-70, exit #180 and turn right (east) on the north frontage road. There should be a Forest Service sign indicating this is Red Sandstone Road #700 (Reset your odometer here). Dogs must be on a leash no longer than 6'. Bus to Hike:Take the freeWest Vail Red busand get off at the Chamonix bus stop. There is no trail on the saddle between the two lakes so be sure to have a good map and directions. The beaver ponds are a great destination for families. 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