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. Enjoy apres ski or summer evenings on the private deck which features a fire pit and private 10-person hot tub. Son of Middle Creek trail ascends the hillside on the north side of I-70, offering views of Vail Mountain and the Town of Vail. After passing the sign, the trail continues to strenuously climb for another kilometer before leveling out. Proceed west on the North Frontage Road for 1/4 mile. Tell us when your experience with this trail happened. 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. Gorgeous, long and hard, but well worth it. The trail takes you to another high alpine meadow filled with pine trees and numerous small creek crossings. Mill Lake is at 11,470 elevation. website belongs to an official government organization in the Took us (2 25YO female) about 2:50 to get to the top. When we lived in Colorado, Rick and I hiked to Booth Lake in July 2012 (without a pack). Please respect this valued piece of Eagle County history by not disturbing the cabin remains. Be forewarned. The only other option is to park in town and take a shuttle which is free but much less convenient in this situation because it stops at multiple places en route to the trailhead. Access. The lake is almost exactly 2 miles from the parking area. Take the North Frontage Road west to Red Sandstone Road. Very scenic on the way to the fall. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. 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. I've never seen it this crowded. 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. Turn left at the yield sign onto Chamonix Lane. The trail climbs very steeply for the first 3 miles, gaining about 2,500 feet. The trail to Booth Lake, just like the Pitkin Lake Trail, is strenuous. 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. The Gore Valley Trail runs the length of the Gore Creek/Vail Valley. If youve huffed all the way up the arduous singletrack to Eagles Nest and you just moved here, congratulations: you can finally call yourself a local. 900 Grand Ave. Be mindful of private property in the area and only park in designated spaces. Continue up the Mill Lake trail at your own pace. Staying left takes you to Red Sandstone Road via the Buffehr Creek trail. A bit buggy up at the lake, but nothing horrendous. ", 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. I saw two moose and a small herd of white mountain goats! Ted Katauskas 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. We strongly encourage taking the freeEast Vail blue line shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes, from the Vail Transportation Center to the Columbine stop. Trail Photos Exit here, turn left, and pass under the interstate. It joins the creek for a moment (1.5 miles : 9,516') before climbing steeply to a crest overlooking a wide berth in the valley, a good place to scan for wildlife (1.85 miles : 9,765'). Beaver Lake. Such a good trail! Pitkin Lake is located in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area and Holy Cross Ranger District of the White River National Forest. 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 . We decided to hike this trail today b/c said sunny all day. . 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. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 6 h 8 min to complete. Truly one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever done! Take plenty of water and some snacks. We strongly encourage taking the freeEast Vail blue line shuttle, which runs every 30 minutes, from the Vail Transportation Center to the Main Gore / Bighorn stop. Pitkin Lake is situated nearby to Upper Piney Lake and The Spider. Really liked this trail, different from many others. Wearing proper foot wear will enhance your hiking experience. Please enable JavaScript in your browser for a better user experience. Please consider other hiking trails listed on this page if this trail is likely to be very busy. Town of Vail Hiking Information for Lost Lake Trail Length : 3.73 miles (one way) Difficulty : Easy From the trailhead, the trail follows a ridge dividing the Piney and Red Sandstone drainages while traveling though lodgepole pine and aspen groves. Follow the well-distinguished trail as it meanders onto the western slopes of the valley. Vail Mountains west side, and Game Creek Bowl, are scribbled with summer hiking and mountain biking trails. At the traffic circle take the third exit and continue on South Frontage Rd. 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 Lower Piney Trail follows the Piney River downstream through meadows and aspen forests. Youll get a ticket. Parking is very limited at this trailhead. Photography by Grades moderate past .3 miles (8,955') on a grassy slope between thick aspen stands and the creek. The trail is gentler now, and you can follow the creek to the lake where view to the Sawatch Range and Mount of the Holy Cross emerge. The trail will pass through several boulder fields, and then cling to a very steep slope as it climbs through aspen woods. The trail plateaus to a disperse aspen forest, offering shade to cool you off after the steep ascent. Booth Falls, Shrine Pass, Lost Lake Trailhead, and Piney River Ranch are just some of the favorites in the area. Views span from the Gore Range to Tennessee Pass. That means being flexible. This is a modest 18.5 mile-long river with lots to offer outdoor recreation visitors. Turn right and proceed east on the North Frontage Road for 0.5 miles to Buffehr Creek Road. The difficult trail gains nearly 3,000 feet in elevation and is most popular between the months of June and October. 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'). 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. The best times to visit this trail are June through October. Lots of elevation gain in the beginning but it does even out for periods. The Gardens are open to the public year-round. This portion of the trail passes through forest and meadows and crosses Red Sandstone Creek. Access:From I-70, take Exit 176 for Vail. Did not see any moose, bear, or mountain goats that recent trail reports indicate. However, the bugs are extremely bad. In a quarter mile, the you will reach the parking area for Pitkin Lake Trail. Box 948 Glenwood Springs CO 81602 970.945.2521. Discover this 10.5-mile out-and-back trail near Vail, Colorado. Quick Info: Pitkin Lake Trail. The water puddles, just walk on the grass to the right or left. Only used to identify you to ProTrails. This trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness regulations are posted at the trailhead. The trailhead is located around 9,075 feet. 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. Walk up Fall Line Drive a mile to the trailhead. See theVail Mountain Hiking Websitefor more information. A mountain goat- we decided to call him Timothy- followed us around for the entire day. Stay right here. The Betty Ford Alpine Gardens are the world's highest botanical garden, located at 183 Gore Creek Drive, Vail, Colorado, United States, at an 8,200 feet altitude in the Rocky Mountains. East and West Partner, at 3,977 m, reside above the lake. Follow this rough, dirt road about 1.8 miles until it ends at the trailhead. Great early fall day! Bear Gulch Reservoir 4. Wearing proper foot wear will enhance your hiking experience. Crowds:This is a very popular trail at certain times of the season and parking is extremely limited. So grab your favorite fly fishing rod and reel, and head out to Pitkin Lake. There are several different trails to explore, each offering its own unique scenery and challenges. connected to the .gov website. Your day will be filled with mountain views, abundant wildflowers, mature aspen and evergreen forests. That trail is longer, more arduous, and leads to Boulder Lake. Learn More. He wasnt super aggressive, just seemed curious but he definitely got way too close for comfort at times. Length:0.7 miles (one way)Difficulty:Easy. Continue onwards to Booth Lake for a real butt-busting challenge with killer scenery. Obtain their Colorado Fishing Regulations handbook for regulations. Beaver Lake 6. Walk north mile up Columbine Drive (under the overpass) to the trailhead. 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. This is a very popular hike and the amount of use has resulted in trail damage and widening. Published in the Summer/Fall 2021 issue of 234 Pitkin, James 190 Plumb, Valerie 97 Poole, Martin 83 Richards, Jane 461 Ridge, James 217 . Distance: 1.8 miles each way (to the falls) Elevation gain: 1,800 feet Difficulty: Moderate Get there: From the Vail Village or Lionshead parking structures, take the East Vail Blue Line to the Booth Falls bus stop; walk a quarter mile up Booth Falls Road to the Booth Lake trailhead. 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