August 4, 2011
We spent the week camping in Creede mostly for Maya to attend Actors Lab Jr. Drama Camp at the Creede Repetory Theater and we all got to enjoy hours of time exploring outdoors. This hike I did without kids and wow, i didn’t realize how much faster the miles fly by when I’m on my own.
The forest service office in Creede has detailed descriptions of this any many, many other hikes. Be sure to stop in there. Nice people, nice place.
Trailhead: This trail head is a 15 minute drive from Creede. Go west of Creede toward Lake City on Hwy 149 for about 3 miles to FR 507 (Miners Creek Road). Turn right on 507 and go about 1.5 miles to FR 508 (Shallow Creek Road). Stay on Shallow Creek road to the trailhead parking area. The trail head is well marked with a large sign. The road in to the trail head is dirt/gravel. It can be muddy but is fine for all vehicles.
Terrain: This is a mountain hike. It has a wonderful diversity of terrain. Starting in a wet lush meadow, through open, rocky hillsides and through aspen forests.
Accessibility: I saw no signs to indicate that this trail was or was not open to dirt bikes, bicycles, pack animals, etc. There were no horse, dirt bike or bicycle tracks on the trail.
Length: The frost service description of this trail says it is 2.25 miles one way.
Difficulty: The first part of this trail is on the valley floor. It is generally easy going here. Then there is a steep section up an open hillside. It kind of makes you wonder if the people who chose this path had ever heard of switchbacks. Because sections of this seem to go straight up. Then the trail levels out as it enters the aspen forests for the last part of the hike.
Highlights: As I said above one of the things I liked about this trail is the diversity of terrain. At first you are next to a beautiful creek and many beaver ponds. After about 30 minutes of hiking the trail opens up and you start up a rocky hillside. At this top of this you enter an aspen forest. At the end of the trail (in the aspen forest) are two old minders cabins. Fun to explore. It took me about 1 1/2 hours to reach the top of the trail. The trail ends just past the miners cabins when you enter private property and see a hilltop yurt. It was about 1 hour down.
