Four Corners Hikes-Dolores River Valley Colorado

Rio Grande Southern Hotel in Dolores

2012-12-01T11:05:00.000-08:00

The Rio Grande Southern Hotel and Restaurant was built in 1893 and is the oldest building in Dolores, Colorado. It was the first hotel in town and for many years was the only eating house between Durango and Telluride. It is located a short distance west off of Highway 145 on S. 5th St., in the vicinity of the Galloping Goose display and museum.

The Dolores area is a gateway for both canyon hikes and mountain hikes. Heading north along Highway 145 the Bear Creek and Priest Gulch trails are about 25 miles away. The west fork of the Dolores River also has interesting hikes at Fish Creek and the Geyser Springs among others.

Above Dolores is the Boggy Draw Trail System. The small but excellent Anasazi Heritage Center museum is a short distance away and it acts as the Visitor Center for the Canyons of the Ancients National Monument.

My visit to the Rio Grande Southern was following a view of the Galloping Goose Railway display and a short late fall walk on the Dolores River Trail. The Dolores Visitors Center along Highway 145 has copies of the menus of the Dolores restaurants. The interior of the Rio Grande Southern dining area reminded me of the similar era Historic Painted Desert Inn at Petrified Forest National Park. The Painted Desert Inn has been long retired and is preserved as an historic site, but the Rio Grande Southern Hotel is still operating.

The lunch menu at the Rio Grande Southern has a strong German flavor due to long time Dolores area chef Rita Bergestrom. On the shelf above the table where I ate there are copies of her “A Taste of Old Germany” cookbook for sale. I had a tasty Schnitzel sandwich with a side dish of German potato salad.

I had to look up what exactly Schnitzel is and I found that it is a breaded boneless cutlet that is thinned with a hammer and fried. Schnitzel seems to be a style. The meat used can vary. I think my sandwich was pork but other meats can be used. The term Weiner Schnitzel is specific to veal. There was a layer of lettuce and tomato with mayonnaise on the bottom and a layer of ham on top.

Dolores River at Salter Canyon-Lone Dome

2012-10-07T09:16:00.003-07:00

Salter Canyon is a north side canyon of the Dolores River in the Lone Dome Recreation Area in the San Juan National Forest in southwest Colorado. The Lone Dome Recreation Area is located 6 miles east of Pleasant View and includes the first 12 miles of Dolores River below the McPhee Dam.

I parked at the Ferris Canyon Campground which is open in the off season and is about 7 miles east along the Lone Dome Forest Road. Salter Canyon is about 0.4 miles further east. From the campground you can hike along the gravel Forest Road or along the banks of the Dolores River. There is a fence along the road with an easy gate near the mouth of Salter Canyon.

There is a wide creek bed with a bridge at the mouth of Salter Canyon. On the west side there is an unmarked trail that follows up the canyon. It looks like this trail was once a road but is now abandoned. The lower canyon has Ponderosa Pines and with thickets of Gambel Oak. There are also Rocky Mountain Junipers and Narrowleaf Cottonwoods along the creek.

The west side of the canyon has steep sandstone walls. I scanned the canyon walls for signs of ruins sites but didn't notice anything. The thickets of oak made it difficult to approach the canyon walls.

The trail was easy to follow for about 0:30 minutes or about 1 mile and then the forest became very thick and the trail overgrown. I saw one very large Ponderosa Pine near the upper end of my hike.

My hike in Salter Canyon was for about 1:00 hour with some additional time looking along the Dolores River. My total hike was for about 2:30 hours on a 70 F degree early October day. Other points of interest a little further east in this area include the old cabins that were the Lone Dome Ranger Station in 1912. There are also some old ranching structures in the same area.

Dolores River at House Creek

2012-10-05T18:34:00.001-07:00

The House Creek Recreation Complex is a 65 site campground and 4 lane boat ramp site on the McPhee Reservoir of the Dolores River. This facility is in the San Juan National Forest in southwest Colorado. It is located 13 miles northwest of the town of Dolores using Forest Road 526 with a left turn on Forest Road 528.

House Creek is one of the flooded tributaries of the Dolores River about 5 miles upstream of the McPhee Dam. Before arriving at the Recreation Complex, there are 3 pull over bank fishing sites along House Creek with short trails leading toward the water.

There aren't any official hiking trails in the House Creek Complex, but there is room to walk along the shore and the park roads. In the fall, the McPhee Reservoir level may be low enough to expose Ancestral Pueblo ruins sites that were flooded by the reservoir project.

It looks like there is a ruins site on the cliffs near the mouth of the flooded House Creek. This site isn't very far below the high water line. I saw one piece of pottery associated with this circular pile of rubble.

Part of the exposed lake bed is easy to walk on and other parts are steep but with ledges. On the south end of the Complex there is a section of forest above the high water line.

In this forested area that would have had a high view of the Dolores River there is a vague rubble pile that could be a ruins site.

Associated with the rubble pile were several pottery shards and what looked like a set of grinding stones. There are some unofficial trails leading to this forest area from the group site at the south end of the complex. I continued a short distance further south to a flooded side canyon and then returned along the complex roadways. My total walk around the House Creek area took 2:00 hours on an early October day.

Haflin Creek Trail-Durango

2012-09-04T10:22:00.001-07:00

The Haflin Creek Trail is a 5 mile route that climbs from the Animas River Valley floor up to Missionary Ridge, north of Durango in southwest Colorado. The trailhead is about 7 miles north of Durango along Highway 550, then east 1 mile on Trimble Lane and south 1.2 miles on County Road 250 to a gravel turn toward a Forest Service Work Center. I didn't notice a sign for the trail along the road. The Dalton Ranch Golf Course is in this area.

The first segment of trail climbs steeply with back and forth switchbacks above the trailhead area. There are increasingly higher views above the Animas River and southwest views toward Animas Mountain and the Hidden Valley area. The trailhead elevation is 6600 feet and there is 1000 feet of climbing before the trail starts to level off.

There are also good views to the north. The Haflin Creek Trail features a rich variety of trees. Gambel Oaks, Pinon Pines, Utah and Rocky Mountain Junipers, and Ponderosa Pines are all in view along the climbing segment. Further on are Douglas Firs and Aspens.

As the trail turns east along the north shoulder of Haflin Creek, the effects of the 2002 Missionary Ridge Fire become apparent. The Missionary Ridge Fire burned for 39 days beginning in June 2002. The burned area was measured at 73,000 acres and extended from here east to Vallecito Reservoir.

Ten years later, there are Gambel Oaks returning, but the tall pines and firs are scorched reminders. Baldy Mountain at about 9700 feet is the high point ahead.

The route continues to climb, but more gradually. There are two dry creek crossings and Haflin Creek has only a trickle of water. In early September, some fall color is starting to appear.

Further up the trail, young Aspens are growing. I turned around after 2:15 hours and about 4 miles at about 8500 feet elevation. There is a trail junction with the Missionary Ridge Trail about 1 mile further and 1100 feet higher.

My return hike took 1:45 hours for a total hike of 4:00 hours for about 8 miles. It was an 82 F degree early September day and I carried 3 liters of water. I saw 14 other hikers and 6 dogs during my hike.

Dolores Canyon Overlook at Dove Creek

2012-08-16T06:15:00.000-07:00

There is a marked turnoff for the Dolores Canyon Overlook on the south side of Dove Creek, along Highway 491 in southwest Colorado. From the turnoff it is 10.4 miles to the Overlook. There are BLM signs marking the way.

The Overlook is on a point of land high above an entrenched meander of the Dolores River downstream from the Bradfield Bridge area of the Lower Dolores River. There is a short trail out to a view point with picnic tables along the way. The Dolores River is visible on both the east and west sides of the view area. The elevation at the Overlook is about 8000 feet and the river is at about 6200 feet.

At the end of the trail there is a constructed view point. Directly north, the point of land visible is known as Mountain Sheep Point. Below, the Dolores River makes a sharp turn from north to south.

Flowing south for a short distance, it makes another sharp turn back to the north around Mountain Sheep Point. Below the south tip of Mountain Sheep Point, the access road from Dove Creek arrives at the canyon bottom where rafters can access the river and hikers and others can follow a rough road downstream for at least 12 miles.

There isn't an official trail along the canyon rims, but the terrain is open enough to allow some hiking. There may be the remains of an old road along the rim that cows now use. I walked for about 0:30 minutes south along the west rim. The road that descends into the Dolores Canyon to the river access
is visible across the canyon.

After 0:30 minutes south I turned east and it took 0:25 minutes to arrive at the east rim. The road is much closer to the east rim than the west rim. The terrain in between is Gambel Oak and Ponderosa Pines and was mostly easy walking. The only obstacle was the thicker patches of the oak. There is a fence to cross near the road. From the east rim I took 0:35 minutes to arrive back at the parking area.

I thought these views and the terrain were similar to the Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park near Montrose, Colorado. But despite the spectacular views, the Dolores Canyon Overlook is only an obscure site that is lightly visited.

On the road near the overlook I saw a Blue Grouse and I think I saw two coyotes sprinting across the road. There was a third animal about the same size as the coyotes but with a more lumbering gate. It wasn't large enough to be an adult bear, but may have been a young one. I just got a brief glimpse. I spent 2:00 hours for about 3 miles of walking on my visit on a 75 F degree mid August day.

West Mancos Trail at Transfer Campground

2012-08-10T05:41:00.000-07:00

The west trailhead of the West Mancos Trail begins at the Transfer Campground in the San Juan National Forest in southwest Colorado, near the town of Mancos. The Transfer Campground is a hub for the trail system in this part of the forest.

The full trail travels 10 miles to the Shark’s Tooth Trailhead. A good destination from Transfer Campground is the old mountain town of Golconda, 4.25 miles away.

The trailhead elevation is about 8900 feet. The trail descends steeply into the West Mancos canyon and heads upstream towards the LaPlata Mountains. After about 0.3 miles the Transfer Trail splits off to the right and travels downstream.

The trail mostly stays well above the West Mancos River and goes through stands of Aspens and Gambel Oaks with Douglas Fir, Spruce, and Ponderosa Pine mixed in. The Aspens in this valley are particularly big in some places. Mostly the trail stays in deep forest without many view points.

There are many rocks along the trail that require careful stepping. After the initial steep descent the route has ups and downs but no more steep segments before Golconda. After about 0:40 minutes and 1.25 miles there is a view point from the top of a scree slope.

About 0:15 minutes further is Crystal Creek, the name shown on a sign. There is a log across the creek cut to form a primitive bridge that now appears to be cracked. In early August the creek was easy to cross without a bridge.

The West Mancos Canyon has many impressive cliffs but they are mostly obscured by the thick forest.

After about 3.6 miles there is a marked trail junction with an ATV spur trail that descends from the Aspen Loop Trail and allows ATV riders to travel to Golconda. The last 0.7 miles to Golconda is a two track trail with some open meadows and views of 13,232 ft. Mt. Hesperus. Mt. Hesperus is one of the four mountains considered sacred by the Navajo Indians and marks the north boundary of their traditional area

At Golconda, there are old fences to view along with more views toward the LaPlata Mountains. The Box Canyon Trail ends and is marked here. It is another of the Transfer Campground trails and takes a longer route to arrive here.

It took me 2:15 hours to arrive. The elevation of Golconda is about 9135 feet, higher than the Transfer Campground trailhead elevation even though the trail descended steeply at the beginning.

There is a large pile of boards that must be the ruins of Golconda. There isn’t any interpretive information here on what the history of this town was.

About 1 mile past Golconda the Owens Basin Trail splits off to the right with the West Mancos Trail staying left and climbing toward the Shark’s Tooth Trail. There is a shorter access to these eastern segments of trail from the Echo Basin area.

I chose to return using the ATV connector trail to climb to the Aspen Loop Trail. The climb is steep from 9135 ft. to about 9650 ft. where there is a good view point of this part of the LaPlatas with Owens Basin to the right.

The return along the Aspen Loop is easy walking and mostly downhill. My return hike took 2:00 hours for a total hike of 4:30 hours for 8.5 miles. It was a 75 F degree early August day and I carried and drank 3 liters of water. I saw 2 other hikers and 6 ATV riders during my hike.

Bear Creek Trail-Dolores River

2012-08-02T09:20:00.000-07:00

The popular Bear Creek Trail begins about 22 miles northeast of Dolores along Highway 145 in southwest Colorado. The trail follows the Bear Creek southeast for 12.5 miles toward the LaPlata Mountains and connects to other trails in the area. The elevation at the trail head is 7900 feet.

The trailhead area is well marked. There are interpretive signs in the parking area discussing life in the Dolores Valley before the arrival of train transportation in 1891 and the unique features of Aspen trees.

The first few steps of the trail cross the Dolores River on a footbridge. In the first ten minutes of hiking the route climbs steeply with switchbacks and the Morrison Trail branches off to the right, leading 8 miles to the Transfer Campground area. After 0.5 miles, there is the parallel Little Bear Pack Trail that re-connects with the main trail after 1.75 miles.

The trail alternates between being high on the valley side above the creek or right down along the bank. After the first segment of climbing, most of the trail is easy walking. The forest here is mostly tall spruce-fir and aspen trees, with a few towering Ponderosa pines in the sunnier areas. There are many Colorado Blue Spruce close to the Bear Creek and many Narrowleaf Cottonwoods.

After about 1:00 hour and 1.75 miles there is the largest of several meadow areas. Other meadows are visible on the other side of Bear Creek. Usually, marmots are visible in this meadow. Thistles were the main flower here in early August. I saw some of the hummingbird-like Hawk Moths hovering near the flower heads of the thistles. For the most part, the Bear Creek Trail isn't lush with wildflowers.

There are no glimpses of mountains along this trail, though the peaks are not far away. There are some good views across the deep canyon at the thick forest.

There are signs posted along the trail that say Fly Fishing only. Further up the trail, at the 6 mile mark, there is a junction with the Gold Run Trail where there has been work to restore Bear Creek and enhance the trout habitat.

I walked 4 miles to a trail junction at the Little Bear Creek, arriving after 2:20 hours. The crossing of Little Bear Creek is easy in August but during the spring runoff it would be dangerous. At this point to the left, there is the faint Little Bear Trail before the creek crossing that climbs steeply 2 miles to Hillside Drive. The elevation at Little Bear Creek is about 8600 feet.

My return hike took 2:10 hours for a total hike of 4:50 hours for 8 miles. It was 60 F degrees at 9:20 AM and 70 F at 2:10 PM on a sunny early August day. I carried and drank 3 liters of water. I saw 3 other hikers during my hike and there were several fishermen near the trailhead.

Dolores River at Slick Rock

2012-07-24T18:02:00.001-07:00

Slick Rock is one of five boat launch sites along the lower Dolores River in southwest Colorado. It is 28 river miles below Dove Creek and 14 river miles above Big Gypsum Valley. On the road, it is 22 miles east of Dove Creek on Highway 141.

The Slick Rock site is the only one of the five launch sites that is on private property and there is a fee to park there. About 1 mile further east on Highway 141 there is a pull over point with an old road that descends to the river bank and provides about 1.3 miles of trail along the Dolores River. The area with the trail is on the BLM managed land.

This trail is slightly upstream of the boat launch point and travels further upstream. The Dolores River flows alongside Highway 141 from the trail down to the launch. The flow of the Lower Dolores River is controlled at the McPhee Dam about 60 river miles upstream.

During the time period that I hiked the water release had been steady at 70 cfs. During late July local showers could cause temporary increases in flow. I noticed that the flow 50 miles downstream at Bedrock was steady at about 52 cfs during my hike but shot up to 170 cfs later in the afternoon, before gradually decreasing.

The trail descends to cross a dry creek bed and then passes through a gate. A sign on the gate reminds visitors not to disturb archaeological resources. The Dolores River is very silty here after leaving the Dove Creek area still very clear. There appears to be a lot of willows along the bank but not much other riparian habitat. I checked the large boulders along the way for petroglyphs and kept an eye out for ruins sites but I didn't notice anything.

The east side of the Dolores River next to the trail is steep and rocky while the opposite side is grassy with mild slopes. There appears to be a trail on the other side of the river that continues further upstream. After about 1.3 miles and 0:35 minutes of hiking the trail fizzles out. My total hike took 1:10 hours for 2.6 miles on an 86 F degree late July day.

Hamm Canyon in Big Gypsum Valley

2012-07-24T08:57:00.000-07:00

Hamm Canyon is a side canyon on the north side of the Big Gypsum Valley in southwest Colorado. The Big Gypsum Valley is about 34 miles east of Dove Creek on Highway 141. After 8.2 miles west on the Big Gypsum Valley Road, there is a side road near some old corrals that can be used as a trail toward Hamm Canyon.

The Big Gypsum Valley is mostly BLM managed land with some mining activity on the south side. This trail is about 5 miles before the Big Gypsum raft launch site on the Dolores River. There are also some hiking opportunities near the raft launch area.

It is only about 0:20 minutes of hiking across the grassy valley floor to a junction of old roads. One of the old road options turns west and continues for several miles along the base of the rocky cliffs.

I continued north into the canyon for a short distance. There is a pour off point at the head of the canyon. The habitat in the canyon changes from the grassland to Pinon and Juniper forest. I was looking in this area for petroglyphs but didn’t see anything on the canyon walls. This area looks like Wingate Sandstone cliffs sitting on the Chinle layer.

I also looked at several of the large boulders near the mouth of Hamm Canyon to the west. I think there are petroglyphs here somewhere but I didn’t find them. There are other archaeology sites in this area.

In the first mile of the Big Gypsum Valley road I had the luck to see three Pronghorns. I saw this group at about 9:30 AM on July 23, 2012. My hike at Hamm Canyon took 2:10 hours for about 2.5 miles of walking. It was 72 F degrees at 9:50 AM and was 86 F at my 12:00 PM finish.

Owens Basin Trail from Echo Basin

2012-07-18T10:56:00.001-07:00

The Owens Basin Trail is a 3.5 mile route toward the base of the LaPlata Mountains near Mancos in southwest Colorado. It can be thought of as a side trail from the West Mancos Trail that has a trail head at the Transfer Campground. There is also an access from Echo Basin.

The Echo Basin road is a north turn from Highway 160 about 3 miles east of Mancos. The paved road becomes Forest Road 566. The access to the Owens Basin Trail is after a left turn onto Forest Road 566A. It is 10.6 miles from Highway 160 to the trail head, with the forest road passing the Ramparts Hills, and the meadow areas of T-Down Park and Lucy Halls Park.

The elevation at the trail head area is about 9600 feet. The initial segment on the old forest road descends about 300 feet to a crossing of the South Fork of the West Mancos River. In mid July during a dry year this was an easy crossing.

Continuing on there is a junction with the West Mancos Trail that begins at the Transfer Campground 5 trail miles away to the west. It took me 0:30 minutes to arrive at this junction. About 5 minutes of hiking further east, the West Mancos Trail splits off to the left and climbs toward the Shark’s Tooth Trail. The Owens Basin Trail continues to climb to the east.

The trail passes through Spruce and Fir Forest with Aspens mixed in. There are several large scree slopes along the way. On one of the scree slopes there has been some retaining wall construction that is probably from the mining era. I could hear the squeaks of pikas at these scree slopes but I didn’t see them.

Wildflowers were better in the moister higher elevations during a relatively dry year. In mid July there were many butterflies among the flowers. The best name I could find for this one is the Hesperis Frittillary. I also saw many black and white butterflies that resemble the one known as Weidermeyer's Admiral. Shoulder high Larkspurs, Monkshoods, and Evening Primroses were the most impressive wildflowers I saw. I didn’t see any large wildlife but I saw one blue grouse.

I think the mountains most visible near the top of the Owens Basin Trail are Burwell Peak at 12, 664 feet to theright and Spiller Peak at 13,123 feet to the left. There are good views of the headwaters of the South Fork of the West Mancos as the water tumbles down in a cascade.

To the left of Spiller Peak there might be some glimpses of Babcock Peak at 13,149 feet. I stopped after 2:30 hours at a good view point that was at the top of some steep switchbacks near the end of the trail. There was a large tree covering the trail at that point obstructing the last 0.25 miles.

The peaks further to the left are obscured somewhat by the forest. I think there were some Sub-Alpine or White Firs growing at this viewpoint. There are good views across this scree covered basin. A creek flows out of the basin but there isn't a lake. The elevation of my stopping point was about 10,700 feet.

My return hike took 2:00 hours for a total hike of 4:50 hours for about 8.5 miles. It was about 65 F degrees on a mid July day with no threat of afternoon rain, and I carried 3 liters of water. I saw 2 other hikers and 8 horse riders during my hike.

Dolores River Canyon at Dove Creek

2012-06-30T06:06:00.000-07:00

The Dolores River Canyon can be accessed near Dove Creek, Colorado. There is a marked turn off from Highway 491 on the south end of town. After about 1 mile there is a north turn near a radio facility that leads down into the very deep canyon.

Just past a pump station, there is raft launching site with a pit toilet and a couple of picnic tables. The Dolores River canyon here is BLM managed land on the west edge of the San Juan National Forest.

From the raft launch site, a rough dirt road leads north for about 12 miles, with a rougher trail continuing toward the Slick Rock launch site. The Dove Creek access is 19 river miles below the Bradfield Bridge access. All of these access points are on the lower Dolores River below McPhee Reservoir. I began my hike at the raft launch site. Most vehicles can drive the first 0.5 miles to the Box Elder Campground and high clearance vehicles can continue.

The habitat along the Dolores Canyon bottom includes small groves of Ponderosa Pines and Gambel Oaks. Close to the river there are willows and Box Elders. I didn’t notice many Cottonwoods. The canyon sides had Pinon Pines and Junipers with some Douglas Firs in the high shady spots.

The geology appears to be the sandstone layers that are familiar in the Canyonlands and Arches area. The steep cliffs of the Wingate Sandstone support the Kayenta, Navajo, and Entrada Sandstones. The trail appears to be carved out of the softer Chinle layer and the sandstones rise higher as the trail proceeds north.

Along the trail there are frequent parallel side trails to river side campsites. After about 0:45 minutes I followed one of these side trails and had a Black Bear sighting. The bear had already turned and made a short jog away when I saw it from about a 100 feet distance. I had a good view for about 5 seconds and then it dashed away into the oak brush.

Near where it had been was a large patch of these Sumac Berries. Along the trail I saw deer tracks but no deer. There were ATV tracks on the trail but I didn’t see hiker or mountain bike tracks.

There are a couple of boulder strewn riffles along the segment that I walked. The lower Dolores River flow is controlled at the McPhee Dam. On the day I hiked the flow was recorded from below the dam as 69 cfs. This is well below the historic average of about 220 cfs. The water in this area appeared to be clear flowing. When I've viewed the Dolores River downstream at Big Gypsum and Bedrock it appears to have much more silt.

The side canyons in this area are steep gaps in the rocks without any flowing creek water. It looks like this section of canyon could only be accessed at very limited locations.

I turned around after 2:10 hours and about 4.5 miles at one of the riverside campsites. My return hike took 1:50 hours for a total hike of 4:00 hours for about 9 miles.

It was 77 F degrees at my 9:40 AM start and a warm 88 F degrees at the 1:40 PM finish. I carried and drank 3 liters of water. I didn't see anyone else on the trail during my hike but there were several campers in the Box Elder Campground.

Priest Gulch Trail-Dolores River

2012-06-08T08:47:00.003-07:00

The Priest Gulch Trail travels parallel to the south end of the Calico National Recreation Trail in the San Juan National Forest in southwest Colorado. The trailhead for both trails is on the west side of Highway 145 about 26 miles north of the town of Dolores. Priest Creek contributes to the flow of the Dolores River.

The Priest Gulch Trail is open to mountain bikes, horses, and motorcycles as well as hikers. It follows along Priest Creek while the Calico Trail climbs steeply to the east side mesa top. I saw many hiker and horse tracks but no tire tracks. The forest is mostly Fir and Spruce with Aspens. There are a few Ponderosa Pines near meadow areas. The trailhead elevation is 8050 feet and both trails climb as they head north.

After about 1.25 miles, there is a trail junction with a faint trail that connects with the Calico Trail to make a loop. In June 2012, the trail sign was missing but the pole was in place.

I looked at the crossing of Priest Creek and it would have been easy, but in heavy snow years early June might not be the best time to cross here. From here, the connection trail climbs steeply toward the Calico Trail.

Continuing on the Priest Gulch Trail, there are only a few places with any views. Most of the lower part of the trail is in deep but beautiful forest. The trail is well maintained and is easy walking as it climbs gradually. There is another connection with the Calico Trail after about 8 miles for a 16 mile loop. I went up trail for 1:50 hours, about 3.5 miles before returning the way I came. My total hike took 3:20 hours.

There were some minor wildflowers along the trail. The best were patches of Irises and there were many butterflies including large Tiger Swallowtails. I didn't see any large wildlife. My hike was on a 75 F degree early June day and I carried 3 liters of water. I saw two other hikers during my hike.

Sage Hen Trail to McPhee Reservoir Overlooks

2012-06-04T18:49:00.001-07:00

The northwest side of the McPhee reservoir area of the Dolores River in southwest Colorado is known as the Sage Hen area.

There is the rough Forest Road 500 that runs straight north for 4.3 miles to the McPhee Dam and a single track trail that takes a more wandering route in the same direction, and then connects with the forest road. These trails are closed to vehicles and are used by horses and mountain bikes in addition to hikers.

Both trails start at the normally closed gate, with the single track veering off to the right after about 60 feet. The first mile or so of the single-track cuts through a sage plain area.

The trail then passes through islands of Pinon Pine and Juniper forest with open areas of sage giving some views over the lake and to Mesa Verde and the LaPlata mountains. There are also thickets of Gambel Oak in this area. After about 2 miles there is an intersection with the segment of rough forest road 500A that leads down to the reservoir edge. The trail continues on but the lake can make a good turn around point for a 2 hour hike, or there is a loop option using road 500A.

From the shore here both of the McPhee Reservoir developed recreation areas are visible across the water. To the left is the House Creek recreation area and to the right is the McPhee area, both offering campgrounds and launch ramps for boating and fishing.

Continuing on, the Sage Hen Trail heads north and west toward the McPhee Dam area, skirting around a side canyon of the Dolores River. There are some high points where there are good views east toward the LaPlata Mountains and north toward the San Miguel Mountains and south towards Mesa Verde..

I got off the trail and searched some of the hilltops for archaeological sites. Some of the hills in this area have pottery shards and rubble piles to find. I saw a few pottery shards in this area but the archaeological sites here are subtle and elusive. I did find some good overlook points for the McPhee Reservoir. The Beaver Creek arm is to the right with Trimble Point in the center. Dry Canyon is to the left.

Further west there is a partial view of the McPhee Dam. The trail that is visible across the canyon is the McPhee Stock Trail. The Mataska Recreation Area and the beginning of the lower Dolores River are visible below the dam.

The return leg of trail follows along to the power line that is close to Forest Road 500 and the single-track trail makes a vague junction with Forest Road 500 close to the junction of Forest Road 500 and Forest Road 500C. Hikes from the trailhead area to the overlooks of the McPhee Reservoir are about 10 miles and have taken me 4:30 or 5:00 hours.

(There is another post on the segment of Forest Road 500 that goes directly to the McPhee Dam. Use the Sage Hen label to find.)

LaPlata City and Boren Creek Trail in LaPlata Canyon

2012-06-02T15:39:00.004-07:00

LaPlata Canyon is between Durango in the east and Mancos on the west in the San Juan National Forest area in southwest Colorado. The north leading turnoff of Highway 160 is near the Hesperus Ski Area.

About 8 miles north along LaPlata Canyon Road is the historic LaPlata City site. There are two interpretive signs here describing the history of this mining community along the banks of the LaPlata River in the 1870s and 1880s.

I started hiking from the LaPlata City site and walked about 0:15 minutes north along LaPlata Canyon Road to the west leading Forest Road marked 061 on the north side of Boren Creek. The walk along the canyon road passes several private property sites. There isn't any special trailhead parking here. The Boren Creek Trail leads about 2 miles and climbs steeply from 9200 feet to about 11,200 feet.

About 0:20 minutes of walking up the gravelly road there is a small side creek crossing and a small waterfall visible on the left. The forest here is thick Douglas Fir and Engelmann Spruce with Aspens. There are creek views along most of the trail.

As the trail climbs three of the peaks of the LaPlata Mountains come into view. To the left or south is Burwell Peak at 12,664 feet.

To the right of Burwell Peak is Spiller Peak at 13,123 feet. In early June there is a good flow of water sliding down between Burwell and Spiller feeding the Boren Creek. Following a light snow year and warm spring, there were only a few patches of snow visible in shady parts of the forest and no snow on the trail.

I think the peak furthest north is Babcock Peak at 13,149 feet. There are four switchbacks on the Boren Creek Trail. I made it past the last one but not quite to the end of the trail. Near the top, there was more wind and the temperature was cool enough that I had to add a layer.

There were only a few wildflowers along the trail and I didn’t see any large wildlife. My upward hike took 2:30 hours and the return took 1:30 hours for a total hike of 4:00 hours for about 5.5 miles. It was 75 F degrees at the bottom of LaPlata Canyon and felt at least 10 degrees cooler higher up. I carried and drank 3 liters of water.

Fish Creek Trail-Dolores River West Fork

2012-05-30T07:08:00.002-07:00

The Fish Creek Trail travels along a major contributor to the Dolores River West Fork in the San Juan National Forest in southwest Colorado. The trail head access is confusing as the Forest Road passes under an overhead sign that says “Fish Creek Ranch.”

The Forest Road access is about 12 miles north along the West Fork Road from the junction with Highway 145, north of the town of Dolores. Then the Forest Road passes through scenic private property for about 2.5 miles to the trailhead.

The last mile of Forest Road is in the Fish Creek State Wildlife Area and there are fishing access points along the clear running creek. The trail generally leads northeast along the west shoulder of the Fish Creek drainage.

The trail is open to hikers, horses and mountain bikes but probably doesn't get many bike riders. The forest here is mostly Spruce and Firs with Aspens, and there are Ponderosa Pines in a few places.

Near the trail head there is a plaque honoring Phillip Aschbacher, a long time Forest Service Engineer. There is more water management engineering in the forests than is immediately apparent. Some of this work can be seen near the creek across from the trail head.

After about 0:30 minutes of hiking there is a crossing of Little Fish Creek. Otherwise, the trail stays well away from the water, with frequent views but always from an elevated distance.

A major feature of the lower part of the Fish Creek Trail is a very large scree slope. I arrived the scree after about 1:30 hours of hiking and it takes ten or fifteen minutes to cross.

From the trail, I couldn't see any cliffs that were producing the scree, but these cliffs might be visible from the nearby Willow Divide OHV Trail that is above the east side of the Fish Creek Trail. I listened for the rabbit relative pikas that often live in scree slopes but didn't hear or see them.

Beyond and below the scree slopes there are some beaver ponds and some beaver lodges are visible.

In late May, I didn’t see very many wildflowers along the Fish Creek Trail, but there were quite of few of these butterflies flitting among the Irises. I think this is a Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. I didn’t see any large wildlife but I saw tracks on the trail that I thought were elk. Two Mallard ducks were on one of the beaver ponds.

Past the scree slopes the trail has a steep segment. I turned around after 2:00 hours and about 4 miles. I think the trail continues for another 4 miles past where I stopped. The return hike took 1:50 hours for a total hike of 3:50 hours for about 8 miles. It was a 65 F degree sunny late May day. I carried and drank 3 liters of water.

Dalla Mountain Park in Durango

2012-05-01T07:07:00.001-07:00

The Dalla Mountain Park is a small trail system of about 4.7 miles on the northwest side of Durango in southwest Colorado. Turn west at 25th Street from Highway 550 and find a small parking area on the right after about 1 mile.

This area is along Junction Creek, the same area where the Colorado Trail begins further along the road. The Falls Creek Archaeological area is also in this area. Dalla Mountain Park trails also connect to the trails on Animas Mountain. Like other Durango area trail systems, there are good map signs at each major trail junction showing where you are and where the alternate routes lead. The maps also show the distance for each segment.

At the trailhead area there are three choices. I stayed to the left on the segment that looks like an old road. The trail climbs gradually through tall Ponderosa Pines and Gambel Oaks. In late April, the oaks were just starting to leaf out. I tried to mostly follow the outer segments to make a large loop.

Most of the trail segments in Dalla Mountain Park have descriptive names, starting with Jacobs Cliffs. Some of the middle segments are labeled Bouldering. It becomes obvious quickly that there are many large boulders scattered all around the trail system. Many of the boulders offer nearly vertical surfaces up to about 20 feet high.

At the northern end of the system there are some views west toward the LaPlata Mountains. One of the trail segments at this end leads downhill to another trailhead. The trail continues climbing before making a loop in the segment named Sailing Hawks. There were a couple of Turkey Vultures sailing in this area during my hike. Among the Ponderosa Pines I saw one tall spruce tree in this upper area.

Descending on the north edge of the Bouldering segment the trail passes along the cliffs of Animas Mountain and one of the largest boulders. Along the trail I saw about 10 other hikers and one person trying some climbing.

The only wildflower I saw was this Serviceberry bush in the Rose Family. The Utah Serviceberry is common in the Pinon Juniper forests but I think this is the species that grows in more alpine habitats. My hike at Dalla Mountain Park took 1:30 hours for about 2.9 miles on a 65 F degree late April day.

Snowshoe Hiking on the Boggy Draw Trail

2012-02-10T07:06:00.000-08:00

The Boggy Draw Trail system doesn’t receive any machine grooming for winter snowshoe hiking or cross country skiing, but the area provides a good winter experience in the tall Ponderosa Pine forest.

The Boggy Draw Trail System is in the San Juan National Forest about 3 miles west of Dolores in southwest Colorado. The trails are nested loops centered on Forest Road 527, an extension of County Road W. The central loop is known as the Boggy Draw Trail. The access road is cleared to a parking area at the trailhead and Forest Road 527 has a closed gate.

I stayed on Forest Road 527 hiking with snow shoes. On the compacted route the walking relatively easy. Off of the compacted trail my steps were sinking in about 9 inches. The forest in this area is tall Ponderosa Pines with an understory of Gambel Oak. I noticed one tree close to the road that was marked with a small sign as a wildlife tree. I’ve noticed a few of these signs in the forest, usually on a dead snag.

I hiked along the Forest Road for about 0:45 minutes and turned around. This segment is mostly an alley through the tall pine forest with a couple of spots with views across meadows. My total hike took 1.5 hours for about 3 miles. It was a 35 F degree early February day. There were several other vehicles in the parking area and I saw several skiers while I was hiking.
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McPhee Reservoir Snowshoeing

2012-01-31T06:10:00.000-08:00

The McPhee Reservoir on the Dolores River is the second largest lake in Colorado. During the winter season when the water level is low, the north facing west end offers a broad slightly sloping area with an easy to access area for snowshoe hiking.

The access is about 4 miles west of Dolores, CO on Route 184, then north on the paved McPhee Recreation Area Road to the west end of the lake and the south side of the Great Cut Dike. There is room to park and a dirt road trail that leads to the shore line. This spot gets some use from bank fishermen during the summer months. On the west side of the Great Cut Dike is the pump house that sends irrigation water to the canals in the Montezuma Valley area.

The west end of the reservoir tends to freeze over sooner than the main channel area of the Dolores River. In the distance the San Miguel Mountains near Lizard Head Pass are visible. This area had a good snow layer for snowshoe hiking despite modest snow so far in 2012.

I spent part of my hike looking for animal tracks in the snow. I thought most of what I saw were coyote tracks in the area close to the vegetation near the high water mark. I didn’t see any water birds or any deer tracks, though deer are common in this area.

My total hike was for about 1:30 hours on a 44 F degree late January day. I hiked for about 1 mile east along the lake shore and returned. There is room to go much further than I did.

Sage Hen Forest Road to McPhee Dam

2012-01-07T11:45:00.000-08:00

The area on the west end of McPhee Reservoir on the Dolores River in southwest Colorado is known as the Sage Hen area. Running straight north for 4.3 miles from Sage Hen is the very rutted and rough Forest Road 500, leading to the McPhee Dolores River Dam site. This Forest Road has been closed to motorized vehicles since 2008.

The trail climbs through a sagebrush plain area with scattered Pinon Pines and Junipers and gives good views of the McPhee Reservoir with Mesa Verde becoming visible the higher you go. The LaPlata Mountains with Mt. Hesperus are also visible to the east. This area gets some use from mountain bikers and horse riders in addition to hikers. There is also fishing and boating access in the side roads close to the McPhee Reservoir.

Descending into Lone Dome Canyon through a side canyon, the Dolores River discharging from the dam flows west. The Dolores River State Wildlife area protects the river through this area. The forest on the north facing canyon wall has Ponderosa Pines and Douglas Firs.

A service road bridge allows easy crossing into the developed Mataska Recreation Area below the dam. The posted historical information discusses how cattlemen were the first to settle this area and at the end of summer the cattle were driven through this area to the rail line in Dolores for shipment to Denver and Kansas City.

Near the Mataska picnic ground there is a service road that goes to the top of the dam. Interpretive information in the picnic area reports that the dam was built in 1984, is 270 feet above the river bed, and the water covers 4,470 acres. Irrigation water from McPhee Reservoir is distributed by canals through the area and keeps it greener than it would otherwise be.

It took me about 2:00 hours to get from Sage Hen to the river and I spent about an hour in the river area and up on top of the dam. The total time for about 10 miles was 5:10 hours.

For a shorter hike, there are some artifacts of the human history of the Sage Hen area to see but they take some searching away from the main trail. There are two side trails leading toward the east from Forest Road 500. The first side trail is about 1.5 miles north. A short distance along the side trail there is an old corral.

South of the side trail, but not on the trail there is some sort of old camp with a number of old metal artifacts. This camp is near an old constructed pond.

The second side trail is about 2.3 miles north along the main trail. In the Sage Hen area some of the hilltops appear to be archaeology sites. With some careful looking, there are some pottery shards visible. I thought the pottery shards I saw were thinner and mostly plain compared to the Black on White styles that are found in nearby canyons.

There are also a number of rubble piles that could be ruins sites. These rubble piles aren’t as distinct as the ones in the nearby Canyons of the Ancients. In a couple of places there are lines of large stones that seem to be turned on edge.

Discovery Museum on the Animas River Trail

2011-12-30T04:53:00.000-08:00

One of the historic sites along the Animas River Trail, in Durango, Colorado, is the Durango Power Plant. In 2011, the historic plant has been restored and re-opened as the Durango Discovery Museum.

I started my hike on the Animas River Trail at the Santa Rita Park. Following the trail north, it is about 2 miles to the Discovery Museum. The Santa Rita Park is about 1 mile south of the junction of Highways 160 and 550.

In 2011, there is a $9.50 charge for adults. Much of the interior space is devoted to hands on activity for children, with an emphasis on electricity. The displays are still in development but there was a lot of activity on the day I visited.

I thought the most interesting area for adult visitors was the old boiler room area and the adjacent turbine and generator. This large room also has a screen for video displays and some chairs for viewers. The manufacturing information attached to the boilers says Heine Safety Tube Boiler, and Risdon Iron Works Builders, SF CAL. 1908, and also Utah Copper Company 1906. There are also antique valves, pumps, and gauges in the boiler room.

One of the boiler doors is open for a view of the boiling tubes. Originally the power plant used coal, and converted to gas in the 1940s. In the mid 1970s the plant was shut down and sat idle until 2002 when the renovation activity began. The exterior was completed in 2006.

Sitting just outside of the boiler room is one of the turbine engines and an attached generator. The manufacturing inscription says General Electric Company. The Durango Power Plant was one of the first on the western slope of Colorado to use AC power.

The Durango Power Plant used California Mission style architecture with two twin towers on the north end. The east side tower has an unusual way for visitors to climb up to the top of the tower for the roof top views both outside and inside. There is a circular series of steps, but the climber has to twist from side to side to make the climb. This unusual climb can start at the floor level or about halfway up after climbing normal stairs.

From Santa Rita Park it took me about 0:45 minutes to arrive at the Discovery Museum. My total hike with the museum visit and some searching for the Durango Pumas on Parade took about 3:30 hours on a 40 F degree late December day.

Hohokam Puzzle Exhibit at the Anasazi Heritage Center

2011-12-08T10:33:00.000-08:00

Beginning in the winter season of 2011 to October 2012 the Anasazi Heritage Center near Dolores, Colorado is hosting the Pieces of the Puzzle – Hohokam Exhibit displaying new ideas on the Hohokam Culture.

The Hohokam culture is known for the extensive irrigation works on the Salt River in the Phoenix, Arizona area. An easy to visit Hohokam site is the Pueblo Grande site located at 4619 East Washington Street, near the northeast side of the Sky Harbor Airport. One of the large pictures of the exhibit is an artist rendition of the Pueblo Grande site.

The format of the exhibit emphasizes the concept of a puzzle, the interpretive signs in the form of jig saw puzzle pieces. There are four puzzle pieces: Who are the Hohokam, How do we know how old things are, How do we know if people migrated, and How do we count ancient people?

The Hohokam name refers to a specific culture that is part of a larger group referred to as the Huhugam. The Huhugam are the ancestors of the current tribal group known as the O’Odham. Recent analysis of pottery pieces has allowed researchers to break the period from 1300 to 1450 AD into small time segments. This allows the dating of the occupation of different sites. One of the newly identified styles is called Phoenix Polychrome and is dated from 1375 to 1450 AD.

A clue to whether the population was influenced by immigrants is found in the way pottery was manufactured. The Ancestral Pueblo people of the Mesa Verde area used a coil and scrape method, while the Hohokam used the paddle and anvil method. One of the displays shows this technique along with the associated tools.

It is assumed that potters will change their style of decoration more readily than their traditional method of manufacture. In 1275 AD, new styles of pottery began to appear in the Hohokam region. Were these traded in, were the ideas transferred from the Ancestral Pueblo area, or were Ancestral Pueblo people moving into the area? Although these pieces looked and were manufactured like Ancestral Pueblo pieces, the sand used as temper was from the Hohokam region, so immigrants to the area were responsible.

The 1275 AD date is also the time that the Four Corners area was beginning to lose population. The main gallery of the Anasazi Heritage Center has dissecting microscope displays on how pottery is analyzed. There are also many examples of the Black on White and Corrugated styles that can be compared with the Hohokam styles.

There are two computer displays with different video programs that describe the population changes that occurred in detail. Using the analyzed pottery pieces as clues, it is thought that there were movements from the core communities close to the Salt River to the peripheral sites at the ends of the irrigation canals.

As immigrants arrived in the Hohokam region, the existing communities experienced ecological and social stress. Communities coalesced into larger and more defensive sites and there was more emphasis on crops rather than wild foods. These stresses led to gradual reduction of the population over several generations from 1300 to 1450 AD. Eventually the Hohokam disappeared as a separate culture, but remain as ancestors.

Hawkins Preserve in Cortez

2011-11-04T03:02:00.000-07:00

The Hawkins Preserve is a 122 acre site on the southwest side of Cortez in southwest Colorado. It was donated by Jack Hawkins in the 1990s to the Cortez Cultural Center, and though private is open to the public. The parking area can be found with a west turn on to Verde Vu off of South Oak Street and then following the signs along a gravel drive. There is a small sign at the turnoff.

In the parking area there is an information kiosk with a map showing the network of trails. A paved trail runs west along the north edge of the preserve. I followed the Slickrock Trail that starts at the northeast corner and travels southwest.

The Slickrock Trail is listed as 0.33 miles and then transitions to the Rim Route that is listed as 0.52 miles.
At the start of the Slickrock Trail there is an outdoor work of art that is the logo of the Hawkins Preserve.

These short trails visit several habitat areas including sagebrush fields, Pinon Pine and Juniper forest, and sandstone outcrops with potholes, before arriving at the canyon rim overlooking McElmo Creek.

At the rim, there are views toward Mesa Verde and the LaPlata Mountains in addition to the riparian habitat along McElmo Creek. Hiking is restricted below the rim except with a special permit. There are two log benches at the spot along the rim rock named Patrick’s Point.

Looping back away from the canyon rim back to the north, the Hawkins Pueblo is protected under a large roof. This site is described as from the Pueblo II period and was occupied for 350 years from 900 to 1250 AD.

A visitor can view the outlines of several room blocks. There are other small archaeology sites on the preserve, but I didn’t notice any of these during my hike.

There are some unexcavated rubble piles nearby that are not under the protective roof. There may be some small alcove sites below the rim that can’t be viewed without the special permit.

On the return hike along the paved segment of trail there is another trail side work of art representing a buried and decorated pottery bowl. My hike at the Hawkins Preserve was for about 1.8 miles in 1:20 hours on a 56 F degree early November day. I didn’t see any other visitors during my hike.

Big Canyon Trail-Durango

2011-08-19T03:48:00.000-07:00

The Big Canyon Trail is part of an extensive network of trails in the Telegraph Trail System on the south side of Durango in southwest Colorado.

The Big Canyon Trailhead is somewhat hidden behind an auto dealer on the northeast corner of Highway 550/160 and Dominguez Drive, across the highway from the Walmart. There is a marked parking area about 100 yards west of the trailhead. The Carbon Junction Trailhead and Sale Barn Trailhead are nearby alternate entry points into this system.

Many of the Durango City trails have good trail map signs at trail junctions that make it clear where you are and where the alternate trail choices lead. These trails are open to hikers, horses, and mountain bikes with most users probably riding bikes. At the Big Canyon Trailhead there is an interpretive sign explaining the importance of this wild area to Elk and Deer as winter range, depending on how severe the winter is.

At the trailhead there are two trails visible, the main trail leading into the canyon bottom and a thin trail descending from the mesa top. The main trail leads along a dry drainage through Gambel Oak, Pinon Pine, Utah Juniper and the lighter blue green Rocky Mountain Red Junipers. Bike riders describe this segment as swooping.

There are several large rock outcrops visible along the canyon bottom. After about 1.6 miles there is a trail junction with the South Rim Trail and a good map sign. I made a left turn onto the South Rim Trail.

This segment of the South Rim Trail returns toward the Big Canyon Trailhead along the mesa top, and overlooks the canyon bottom where I had just hiked. When it reaches the trailhead overlook, there is the thin side trail that was visible at the trailhead. I followed the steep side trail back to the trailhead to complete a 3.2 mile loop.

My short loop hike took 1:15 hours on an 85 F degree mid August day. I didn’t see anyone else while hiking but one mountain bike swooped past me just as I finished.

Animas River Trail (south)-Durango

2011-08-18T09:53:00.000-07:00

The Animas River Trail runs for about 6.75 miles connecting many riverside park and recreation areas in the Durango area in southwest Colorado. The trail continues to lengthen over the years with some of the newest extensions being on the south end.

Visitors to Durango can easily access the Animas River Trail near the midpoint at Santa Rita Park, about 0.5 miles south of the junction of Highways 550 and 160. In the summer, rafts and kayaks are often visible in this stretch of river near the Whitewater Park. From the park, there is a nearly equal distance of trail leading north or south.

The segment leading south to the Durango Mall is more in wooded riparian stream-side habitat than most of the trail segments. There is a short side trail at one point leading to some Flintstones style rock slab picnic tables. There is an interpretive sign describing the site of the Weidman Sawmill, which operated during the mining era and continued until the 1970s.

There are good river views from the new trail bridge that is a short distance south of the Durango Mall. The interpretive sign on the bridge describes the Gold Medal trout fishing on the Animas River.

The six stages of the life of a trout are briefly described. The life stage terms used include redds, alevins, fry, and parr before becoming mature. Fishermen are urged to give the hard working trout a break and avoid casting over the spawning areas, March for the Rainbow Trout and October for the Brown Trout.

Toward the south end of the trail, there are views across the stream toward the rock formation known as the Purple Cliffs. There is a road bridge with a pedestrian lane across the river leading to the small Dallabetta Park that is the current south end of the Animas River Trail.

It took me about 1:30 hours, one way, to walk the south trail segments from Santa Rita Park, about 3.5 miles. In August 2011, there is some trail reconstruction behind the Durango Mall that causes a detour.

Vallecito Lake Walk Path

2011-08-09T13:30:00.000-07:00

Vallecito Lake is located about 20 miles east of Durango in southwest Colorado. The Vallecito Dam on the Pine River was built in 1938-41 and created the 2720 acre Vallecito Lake.

The Vallecito Walk Path is a system of constructed trails and road side paths that allow a visitor to walk all around the lake. On the east side, along the Pine River, there are private campgrounds that appear to block vehicles from driving all the way around.

In 2011, the Bureau of Reclamation is charging a day use fee of $3 for use of lake facilities including the Walk Path, with self serve pay stations at convenient use points.

I started hiking at the west end of the dam. There is a small parking area with a restroom and the Walk Path is clearly marked. The top of the dam elevation is about 7673 feet. The normal depth of water is 121.5 feet.

This southwest segment trail follows closely along the shore for about 15 minutes, and then climbs up to the paved County Road to avoid private property. The road segment ends at the south Public Boat Ramp.

At the north end of the Boat Ramp parking area the Walk Path resumes as a trail and leads for about 2 miles to the north Boat Ramp. This segment is the most trail like though it is close to the County Road.

There are mostly unobstructed lake views with the mountains of the Weminuche Wilderness coming into view. There are a few markers along this segment identifying some of the trees and plants. The south end of Vallecito Lake is dominated by Ponderosa Pine forest with a Gambel Oak understory.

There are a few Douglas Firs visible with Cottonwoods close to the shore. In early August there were some, but not many wildflowers along the Path.

On northwest side of Vallecito Lake, the artistic carvings become apparent with signs mentioning the Carvings Tour. These are the work of a local artist and began following the 2002 Missionary Ridge Fire. There are at least 14 of these carvings a various points around the lake area. No. 6 is titled EMT and Eagle.

The Kaa-vi Nuu-ci Tuvu-pu Mountain Ute Park is also in this area. This park was developed in 2007-09 and includes a wetlands area valuable to waterfowl. There is also a Trailhead for a hike to Lake Eileen with an interpretive sign for the Weminuche Wilderness. It took me about 2:30 hours of walking to arrive at the northwest side after about 6 miles.

At the northwest end, there is a county road leading north to the Vallecito Creek Trail. Continuing around the north lake area there are three creeks feeding into the lake. On the northeast side, the Middle Mountain Road leads north into the forest toward the Tuckerville Trail and Cave Basin Trail. The north end of the lake area is dominated by spruce trees.

Along the northeast side of Vallecito Lake, the commercial development is reduced and the paved road ends. Segments of the Walk Path resume where possible parallel to the Forest Road and there are good views across the lake.

South of the Middle Mountain Campground, the road seems to be blocked by privately owned commercial campgrounds, but I continued walking. At the Middle Mountain campground area, a forest road leads north to the Pine River Trailhead.

The southeast lake side has three Forest Service Campgrounds in a row and views are mostly obscured by the Ponderosa Pine forest. As the road approaches the east side of the dam, the views open up.

There are two interpretive signs along the road that describe how Ospreys responded to the 2002 Missionary Ridge Fire and how the fire affected the fishing in the area. Despite flames licking at their nesting trees the Ospreys persevered and fledged their nests.

The fishing was much affected by mud slides following the fires. Several thousand Kokanee Salmon were forced toward the surface to find oxygen and died of heat stress.

It took me 5:40 hours to walk all the way around Vallecito Lake, about 13 miles. I carried and drank 3 liters of water on a sunny early August day.