Mayflower Gulch
Mayflower Gulch is a relatively easy 5-mile hike near Copper Mountain, with a 1,400 ft elevation gain. Start at the well-maintained parking lot and head up the dirt road. The dirt road steadily inclines while meandering through the woods for about 1.5 miles. The trees and the dirt road will end simultaneously as you enter a basin surrounded by sawtooth mountains. Hike a bit further past the gate, and over the creek, to reach the old, log cabins that you can explore. This is a nice stopping point for a more casual hike, or you can continue on the footpath towards the peaks. There are more amazing views further up the path and an abandoned mining site. The trail is accessible year-round. The summer will be painted with wildflowers, and the winter season will provide fantastic snowshoeing. The dirt road portion is usually snow-packed and boot-friendly in the winter; once you pass the gate near the log cabins, you will want snowshoes. This hike is very dog-friendly. Mayflower is a popular hike; for a peaceful, quieter time, try to go early morning during the week (avoid weekends and holidays).
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.
Trailhead: Off of I-70, take the Leadville/Copper Mountain exit (exit 195) and merge onto CO-91. Continue on CO-91 for 11 miles; you will cross over a creek (Mayflower Creek) and there will be a fairly large, gravel parking lot on your left.
Mount Royal
Mount Royal Trail is a fairly short (3.9 miles), yet strenuous hike in Frisco with a 1,400 ft elevation gain. From the trailhead, you will meander through the woods at a steady incline, to begin with. There is a good chance of seeing wildlife – possibly even a moose – as you hike along. The trail will start to get quite steep and rocky, and it will remain this way until you reach the top. At the top, you will have amazing views overlooking the town of Frisco and the Dillon Reservoir. The views will be worth the effort! Hike up in the early hours of the morning to watch the sunrise over Lake Dillon. This trail is dog-friendly (a leash is advisable because of the steep cliffs).
Difficulty: Hard.
Trailhead: Off of I-70, take Frisco’s Business exit (exit 201). Head east, towards the town. Just past the I-70 bridge, there will be a public parking lot on the right-hand side. From here, you’ll set off on foot across the footbridge. Take a left on the paved bike path, and follow it for half a mile. You will find the Mount Royal Trailhead sign on your right.
Buffalo Mountain Trail
The Buffalo Mountain Trail is a 5.2-mile hike, and considered difficult, in Silverthorne with a 3,000 ft elevation gain. The first part of the hike will snake through the woods and an ominous burn area where a 91-acre fire took place. The difficult rating starts when you get to the boulder fields. It can be a scramble depending on your experience with rock fields, but you will be rewarded once you get past it. The final portion of the ascent mellows out, making for an easy summit. The views over Silverthorne and Dillon will render you speechless. You may even get to share your views with a few resident mountain goats. The trail is great in all seasons; skiers utilize the trail in the winter to find a fresh line and get away from the resorts. This trail is dog-friendly.
Difficulty: Hard.
Trailhead: Off of I-70, take the Dillon/Silverthorne exit (exit 205). Turn west onto US-9 (heading towards the Shell Station and Wendy’s). Take your very first left onto Wildernest Road, which you will follow for 3 miles. You will take a few switchbacks as you climb up into the condominium development called Wildernest. The road will make a loop at the top; when you pass Gore Trail, start looking out for the parking lot. When you find the parking lot on your right (if you pass it, just take another lap around the loop), there will be two trailheads. One will be labelled for Lily Pad Lake and the other, more eastern trailhead, will be nameless. The nameless trailhead will be noticeable by the sign-in register and bulletin board. Take the nameless trail up to Buffalo Mountain.
Quandary Peak Trail
Quandary Peak Trail is a difficult 6-mile hike near Blue River with a 3,300 ft elevation gain. It’s one of the most accessible and popular “14ers” (a mountain of 14,000 ft or more) hikes in Colorado. The trail is almost entirely straight up, only giving you a few “flat” stretches. The views will become increasingly better as you ascend, giving you more motivation. As you get to the top, you will experience loose rocks making the trek a bit more challenging. Mountain goats frequent the summit of Quandary. The views of the nearby peaks are breathe taking and extremely worth it. This is a very popular hike, so avoid weekends and holidays. Starting your hike in the morning, while it’s still dark, will give you a beautiful sunrise as you ascend; and you may have the mountain to yourself for a couple hours. Dog-friendly, but bring a leash.
Difficulty: Hard (this hike is no joke).
Trailhead: Head south on US-9 through Breckenridge for 8 miles. Turn right onto Blue Lakes Road (CR 850), and in about 100 yards take another right onto McCullough Gulch Road (CR 851). Shortly, you will arrive at a small parking lot that is labelled for Quandary Peak. The parking lot fills up quickly, so you may have to park on the roadside.
McCullough Gulch
McCullough Gulch is a moderate 6.2-mile hike near Blue River with a 1,600 ft elevation gain. From the trailhead, you will trek through beautiful forests passing wildflowers, gushing creaks, rock fields and a log cabin where “Mountain Joe Blank” resides. The trail will throw some uneasy situations at you with loose rocks and roots, so watch your ankles. The views at the summit are beautiful with waterfalls and nearby peaks being the stars of the show. Once at the top, you can continue on – the path is not well marked at this point – to find the upper lake. The extra scramble to the upper lake is well worth it. Make sure to watch the cliffs carefully; mountain goats can be seen lounging about. This trail can get busier later in the day, so the morning will be the quietest time. This hike is dog-friendly.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Trailhead: Head south on US-9 through Breckenridge for 8 miles. Turn right onto Blue Lakes Road (CR 850), and in 100 yards take another right onto McCullough Gulch Road (CR 851). You will pass the parking lot for Quandary Peak and continue on the dirt road for another 2 miles. Stay left when you reach the “Y” junction. When you reach the trailhead, there is limited parking, but you will be able to park on the roadside if it is full.
Wheeler Lakes (Gore Range Trail)
The Gore Range Trail to Wheeler Lakes is a moderate 6-mile hike near Copper Mountain with a 1,300 ft elevation gain. This is an aesthetically pleasing hike the entire way. You will trek through subalpine forests and high meadows full of wildflowers. The trail mostly has a steady incline, with a few short stretches of intense climbs. At the summit you will be met with views of the Gore and Ten Mile Ranges and the quaint Wheeler Lakes. This hike is a fairly quick, pleasant trek with beautiful scenery. This hike is dog-friendly, and they can even take a dip in the lakes at the top.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Trailhead: Head west on I-70 (from Frisco towards Copper Mountain). Take the Leadville/Copper Mountain exit (exit 195). Just as you pass under the “South CO-91, Copper Mtn/Leadville” sign, there will be a wide, gravel shoulder, on the right-hand side, near a dirt road (this is before the blue road sign for Gas and Food). Park on the gravel shoulder; there will most likely be other cars already there. Alternatively, you can park at Copper Mountain’s Alpine Parking Lot and walk east over the I-70 bridge to the same spot. There is a footpath that starts at the dirt road; the footpath heads south (away from the dirt road). The footpath will parallel the interstate for a while before it cuts up into the hills.
Mohawk Lakes (Upper & Lower)
The trek to Mohawk Lakes is a moderate 8-mile hike near Breckenridge with a 1,800 ft elevation gain (for both lakes). Unless you have a 4WD vehicle with decent clearance, you will have to park in the Spruce Creek Trailhead lot, and the first part of your hike will be down the 4WD road. It’s an easy walk and a nice warm up. The true hike begins at the end of the road. You will pass numerous abandoned log cabins and old mining equipment that you can explore. A good portion of your hike will be along the Continental Falls, making an already stunning hike even better. You have a choice of several lakes once you get into the high country. Lower Mohawk Lake is a pretty, shallow and green lake surrounded by evergreens. Upper Mohawk Lake is a bit of a scramble to get to, but well worth it. Its beautiful blue color accents the jagged ridge that borders its south end. Mayflower Lake is another lake to check out while you’re up there.
Difficulty: Moderate/Hard.
Trailhead: Head south on US-9 from Breckenridge for 3.5 miles. Take a right onto Spruce Creek Road. Follow this road west for 2 miles as it ascends to the Spruce Creek Trailhead. If you have a 4WD with high clearance, you can continue down the rough road until you reach the Mohawk Lakes Trailhead. Otherwise, leave your car at the Spruce Creek Trailhead and continue on foot to the Mohawk Lakes Trailhead.
Chihuahua Gulch
Chihuahua Gulch is a moderate 6.5-mile hike near Montezuma with a 1,650 ft elevation gain. You will be following the 4WD road for about 2 miles to start out your hike. When you get to a post labelled “No Motor Vehicles”, take the trail to the left. You will follow this trail until you get to a lake; the last bit of your ascend will be a bit of a scramble, but manageable. You will be surrounded by wildflowers, stunning peaks and running water along your trek.
Difficulty: Moderate.
Trailhead: Head east on US-6 past Keystone Ski Resort. Take a right on Montezuma Road, at the end of town, and follow this road for 5 miles. Turn left onto Peru Creek (FR 260) and continue up this road for 2 miles. The parking lot will be on the left.
Lily Pad Lake
Lily Pad Lake is a fairly easy 3.3-mile hike outside of Frisco with a 400 ft elevation gain. This hike is great for all skill levels. There are parts of the trek that will be steep, but the majority of the hike has a nice, subtle incline. The hike ends at two beautiful, quiet lakes – one is absolutely covered in lily pads (shocking, I know). You may have a chance of seeing some wildlife while you’re hiking; moose have been spotted along the way before. There are many creeks and wildflowers to accent your experience. Very dog-friendly.
Difficulty: Easy/Moderate.
Trailhead: Off of I-70, take the Frisco exit (exit 203). If you are heading west on I-70, the off-ramp will take you to the correct roundabout. If you are heading east, you will have to make a left on US-9 once you take the off-ramp in order to get to the roundabout. When you are at the roundabout, take the second dirt road (CR 1231). Follow the dirt road – it will parallel the interstate – all the way to the end, where you will find a parking lot and the trailhead.
Upper Cataract Lake
Upper Cataract Lake is a moderately difficult 10-mile hike outside of Silverthorne with a 2,500 ft elevation gain. You meander through beautiful alpine forests and pass a few quiet lakes. The beginning of your trek will have stunning wildflowers and a great chance of seeing some wildlife. You will start out at the Surprise Lake Trailhead. Follow the signs for Surprise Lake – a nicely hidden gem. Once you’ve past Surprise Lake, follow the signs for the Upper Cataract Lake. You will come out a bit above the lake that will be blocked by trees, making a great, mysterious trek down. The peaks jetting out of the lake will be a beautiful scene to admire while you rest for your decent. Dog-friendly.
Difficulty: Moderate/Difficult.
Trailhead: Head north on US-9 from Silverthorne for about 17 miles. Turn left on Heeney Road. Once you reach mile marker 5, turn west onto the gravel road (Cataract Lake Road/FR 1725). Head up the gravel road for 2.5 miles; when you pass the Cataract Lake Campground, continue straight on Cataract Lake Road. The parking lot for the Surprise Lake Trailhead will be on the left-hand side.
