Beautiful backpacking trip - worth the distance! Will be back! Both are Trail #1339. The trailhead for Music Pass is acessed from Highway 69, 4.5 miles south of Westcliffe. Strenuous one day hike. As you continue, Broken Hand Peak will loom overhead, followed by the sharp apex of Crestone Needle and Crestone Peak. All the time, you'll be in the shadow of Humboldt Peak to your right. The upper lake is pristine and the shores have many flat rock outcroppings to rest and relax on. There is no established trail on the southern shores of South Colony Lake. Found inside – Page 1362.5 Pass the cutoff, on right, to dispersed camping at South Colony Lakes. This is an optional “shortcut” that rejoins the main trail and takes about 0.75 ... Wanted to stay safe given the reviews, but probably would have been fine in our 4Runner minus a couple spots. South Colony Lakes and the Class-2 Humbolt Peak. Once we passed Lower South Colony Lake, the hike quickly became more challenging as we made our way up to Broken Hand Pass. Took the more direct route when the trail forks off, and the elevation gain wasn't too bad. Day #2 summit Challenger, Kit Carson, Columbia Point, Crestone Peak, Crestone Needle, camp at Cottonwood Lake; Day #3: Hike out of Cottonwood Lake; Now all seven mountains would have to be summited on Day #2. Not a bad hike until you reach the switchbacks and a long stairway up to the ridgeline. South Colony Lake Road leaves CO Hwy 69 approximately 4 miles south of Westcliffe, CO. Reply by: kottob Posted: 4/2/2012 1:07:52 PM Points: 126. We opted for the view but it was extremely windy at night. Trail # 1339. The Road and the Trailheads: The lower “two-wheel drive” parking lot (at Colony Lane) to the South Colony Lakes Trailhead is 2.6 miles one way. Found insideDale had read a magazine article about fishing the South Colony Lakes that left ... hiking for what the article had described was a short hike to the lakes. Difficulty: Moderate. Upload photos about this trail to inspire others. Snow melt has the trail muddy in many places, but nothing you can’t get around. To get to the South Colony Lakes trailhead, take CO 69 south from Westcliffe. In 2009, the South Colony Lakes road was permanently closed here (gate) and this is the current trailhead. It is recommended to park the car down the trail, then keep going on foot. The Trails Illustrated map does not show the shorter trail. My favorite place. Found inside – Page 135The scattered trees and shrubbery and the open lakes offer ideal ... After 9.5 miles on this paved road, reach the left turn onto South Twin Road. TrailLink has more than 30,000 miles of trails so you're bound to find a perfect trail near you! At South Beach on Martha's Vineyard -- 31 Dunes Road Edgartown, MA, 02539 Phone: 508-310-1733 Toll-Free: 866-335-1133 Martha’s Vineyard Resort at South Beach, Edgartown The Winnetu Oceanside Resort is the only property located at South Beach, Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard and offers spectacular ocean views. Turn right onto South Colony Lakes Rd. We did the 3 miles in 1.5 hours, which is pretty typical now for that kind of trail. We did two nights, fished, and our two dogs loved chasing the marmots. The hike to the Lake was well marked and it was easy to navigate to the lake. Great trail - it’s 13 miles round trip from the parking lot to the lower lake. Looking for the best trails in the United States? before entering the South Colony Lakes Basin. Secure a campsite, rest up (tomorrow’s a big day! Drive 5.5 miles to the end ofColfax. Climbed Humboldt Friday morning. To find South Colony Lakes enter the 37.966389 latitude, and -105.566399 longitude coordinates into your GPS device or smart phone. 4 stars due to the large number of people. going back was much easier. The Naracoorte Caves National Park contains a priceless fossil record of the ancient animals that once roamed the local landscape.. We started at the 4x4 trailhead (rough road!) You can also use this to access the lower lakes and Crestone Needle. In 2009, the South Colony Lakes road was permanently closed here (gate) and this is the current trailhead. At the end of the ranch fence on the right, you'll see another sign for Music Pass. Check out the Official Route. In contrast to its rugged neighboring Crestone peaks, Humboldt is one of the easiest fourteeners in Colorado to hike up! Found inside – Page 732.1.10 Kit Carson Mountain - East Ridge from South Colony Lakes Ratings : Summer ... 6,415'1 Start : South Colony Trailhead ( 2X2 ) South Colony Trailhead ... Made it to the Lakes the next day (another 3 miles or so) camped at the lower lake (lots of camp options) and day hiked to the upper lake (not many camp spots here). The South Colony Lakes trailhead has two routes you can take. South Colony Lakes Basin lies at the heart of southern Colorado's Sangre de Cristo Range. South Colony Lake Approach Hiking Trail, Crestone, Colorado Distance: 15.2 mi. Total Hiking Distance: 1.9 Miles. Crestone Peak (1) We climbed the Northwest Couloir and descended the South/Red Couloir of Crestone Peak from 9,800' on the road leading to the South Colony Lakes Trailhead. Beautiful hike. The lake is pretty and being surrounded by 3 14ers is incredible, but the trail up is nothing special. This basin is a popular site that is also the base for most climbs of Crestone Peak and Crestone Needle. From the four-wheel-drive trailhead, hike up the road past the gate and over a foot bridge until you reach a trail junction turnoff to your right. At a Glance All on-trail according to the map, but I'm not sure how easy the trail is to follow there. You’re on an aggressively rocky road, watching your feet to not trip, and only in the last three-quarters mile to the lower lake do you have any variety in views. The South Colony Lakes Trail is the most popular hike near Denver that no one has ever heard about. The hike up the summit is fairly straightforward, but the last 1-2 miles involve switchbacks and some minor rock scrambling (Class 2 at the highest). The trail is primarily used for hiking, walking, nature trips, and bird watching and is best used from March until November. There are two parking lots located at the end of South Colony Rd to access the South Colony Lakes I had made this approach hike the year before and surprisingly, a year later, it was just as boring. Post-hike, unwind at nearby ... depart from the Colony House and cover topics such as Newport’s African American heritage and the Gilded Age. I turned right and followed Rainbow Trail for .5 miles. On 7/21/09 I tried to make the same drive in the same vehicle, and it was disasterous. The wildflowers were something else. Took me about an hour to get from the 2WD trailhead to the South Colony Lakes trailhead. And, of course, the South Colony Lakes are in full view to the south. It’s not ideal for camping. When we found South Colony Lakes was only 1.3 miles from the trailhead, we thought it would be a great 2.6 mile round-trip hike for a potentially rainy day. Humboldt Peak, 14,064 ft., above lower South Colony Lake. Several flat sites closer to the lake have signs stating “Keep Out” “Reclamation Area”. South Colony Creek was flowing decently given how parched this area of the state is. cold and very windy at the upper lakes, but the views were jaw-dropping and worth every step! As far as face-to-face wildlife encounters go, the Galapagos wildlife experience rivals even the likes of Africa, … From South Colony Lakes Basin, there are great views of nearby 13ers, the basin below and the other 14ers in the range—as well as some as far away as the Blanca range. Although Ferenc is listed as a hiking partner, Aaron and I were with him only for the backpack in and approach to South Colony Lakes. You’ll be hiking the trail east of and above South Colony Lakes. Two day trip recommended. Backpacking South Colony Lakes. Easy hiking past the road and into the woods near South Colony Lakes. Depending on what kind of vehicle you drive, it begins either at 8,800 feet in the Wet Mountain Valley, for passenger cars, or 9,950 feet for high-clearance vehicles. Difficult at times but doable. The essential guide to the most popular routes up all 54 of the Colorado 14ers. South Colony Lakes Trail is a 14.3 kilometer heavily trafficked out and back trail located near Crestone, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. From here, walk 3.5 miles to the pass. Found inside – Page 255Ongoing wilderness restoration efforts in the South Colony Lakes basin area are ... The frontcountry parking expansion , new multiuse trail and horse gate ... I’m not talking packed dirt with deep potholes, I’m talking heavily uneven terrain, steep ascents and aggressively rocky stretches. We stayed in an open area facing the lake, in hindsight, it would be better to pitch your tent in somewhere more covered. Spectacular, isolated and home to the famed Galapagos giant tortoise, Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands really do feel like another world. Trail is well laid out and easy to follow nearly the entire way. After hiking for 2.6 miles I came to this junction and went right to follow the Humboldt Peak / South Colony Trail. From the trailhead go west, still following the old road, for approximately 1.2 miles to South Colony Lake. Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, is a picturesque town home to a lake of the same name, as well as a historic resort that’s the best hotel in the state. After gaining the crux, the terrain eases into a difficult class-2 climb on steep and loose gravel. This is a class 2 hike with 2470 feet of elevation gain in 2 miles. but pushed the moderate designation. From here it is straight up the peak over large rocks. I’ve got to say, this was not among our favorite outings. Lewdog: These lakes are in the Sangre De Cristo range. If you need fishing tackle, or are looking for a fishing guide or fishing charter please visit Tackle, Guides, Charters. ... Best Romantic Getaway: Finger Lakes, New York. Found inside – Page 184A day hike from the Cameron Lake Road to Upper Rowe Lake, 3.9 miles (6.3 km) one way. ... Shortly thereafter, a spur trail (0.3 mile, easy) runs south ... About a mile up the road is the lower parking area if you have a low clearence vehicle you should park here. About 14 miles total round trip since walking the 4WD road adds an extra 5 miles. A short guide to Virginia Indian tribes, archeology, museums, reservations, events, and historical figures. Includes maps. There is a sign here although I think it is a bit misleading. Bench Lake is the top of the North Colony Lakes. Definitely coming back to backpack at the lake to humoldt. We reached the lower lakes after dark and set up camp, but no fishing. Plenty of 4Runners, Jeeps, trucks, and a few Outbacks up at the main lot. Here the road ends and it actually becomes a trail, crossing a few minor bridges and a small boulder area. I drove a 2wd vehicle so I had to walk an extra 5 miles. From here, you’ll begin hiking up long switchbacks on a headwall leading to a saddle that goes right to Humboldt’s west ridge, or left toward Bear’s Playground. Link to a 1/2 resolotion image. in South Colony Lakes Basin. South Island: Fiordland National Park - ... Join a guided hike through the Westland Tai Poutini National Park and come face to face with the awesome Fox and Franz Josef Glaciers. breathtaking peaks and a rewarding view. We had planned to use 4WD to reach the lower trailhead, but the road was too rough so we ended up hiking the additional 2.6 miles to the lower trailhead from the lower parking lot. Found inside – Page 326A Guide to the Parks' Greatest Hiking Adventures Laurel Scheidt ... 100 Long Meadow Trail, 114 Lookout Peak, 281 326 Lost Lake, 294 Lower Colony Mill Trail, ... All "off-trail", although I'm not sure how much of a user trail to expect. If you access the Broken Hand Pass (Standard Crestone Needle access), the trail switchbacks quickly from near the SE corner of the Lower South Colony Lake. Finch Lake is a moderate hike through pines, aspen glades and wildflower laden meadows to a sub-alpine lake. It was the BEST! With our time on the summit and a break near South Colony Lakes, we finished the hike in 7.5 hours. Massachusetts was originally inhabited by tribes of the Algonquian language family such as the Wampanoag, Narragansetts, Nipmucs, Pocomtucs, Mahicans, and Massachusetts. A Florida hike for every interest and ability I don’t doubt an Outback or Forrester has done it or could do it, but I wouldn’t, and I didn’t, because I didn’t want to risk blowing a tire or scraping my undercarriage. Work is expected to last 40 days and crews will be camped near the intersection of the South Colony and South Colony Spur Trails. Did this last summer, the 2WD hike in is a bit of pain so if you can get up with 4WD you're in great shape. Dogs are also able to use this trail. Found inside – Page 107to the road end, where it is a short pack in to the South Colony Lakes. ... The short but tedious hike, best from farther up the valley, offers as reward a ... Drive 4.5 miles, curve to the east and turn right on Colfax Lane. Bench Lake is the top of the North Colony Lakes. Music Pass Trail. Strenuous one day hike. South Colony Parking Area (2WD) This is a 2 night intermediate backpack in the Sangre de Cristos. These three volcanoes encompass Tongariro National Park - New Zealand's first, and are also home to two commercial ski fields on Ruapehu. 4 wheel drive road was rougher than ever, but not bad enough to stop someone from taking a Subaru to the parking lot. We started on the North Colony trail and hiked for 20 minutes or so before we hit our first quad-burning switchback. Humboldt Peak, 14,064 ft., above lower South Colony Lake. At the "T" junction, turn left onto South Colony Road. As an access point to three 14ers, and with South Colony Lakes a worthy destination of its own, this is one busy trailhead. “Leave No Trace” rules dictated that we were not allowed to camp within 300 feet of South Colony Lakes or any of the nearby streams, so we technically didn’t even reach South Colony Lakes that first day. At approximately two miles we hit the “shortcut trail’ that is marked as a pack trail on topo maps. The Horn Creek Trailhead may be used to access North Colony by going south on the Rainbow Trail for 3.6 miles or the South Colony Road may be used. You’ll be hiking the trail east of and above South Colony Lakes. Use Navigator in the AllTrails app and join the 472 other outdoor explorers who have completed this trail. The trail was easy going but rather monotonous as it worked up an old 4WD road which used to … Mmm mmmm what a tasty hike Take highway 69 south out of Westcliffe for 4.5 miles to County Road 119 (Colfax Lane). The South Colony Creek provides fresh, clear water to fill your bottles to be filtered. This is a solid trail that leads to a nice almost alpine lake. I took the right fork to do the one-mile, steeper ascent to the lower lake and it was steep but not too rough. Reached the lake by 13:00 and found a suitable camping spot for 2 tents next to a creek. The trail to the lower lake is much much more scenic. From there, we hiked 5.5 miles with our backpacks to a camping spot near the lower of the two main South Colony Lakes. From the 4WD trailhead, the South Colony Lakes trail begins. Spikes didn’t cut it and I was post-holing knee at least knee high. The Trails Illustrated map does not show the shorter trail. Route: From the gate closure at 9,900', cross the foot bridge and walk 2.5 miles up the South … Overall a great hike and one of the most beautiful places I've seen in Colorado. The trail starts next to the trailhead kiosk, in the parking area. Upload your activity and inspire others. 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