Cow Creek - #220

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Cow Creek Trailhead

Mike MacLeod at the Register Box

Rest Breal While Cutting
A Big One!

Cow Creek Canyon

TRAILHEAD:
The Cow Creek Trail begins at the very end of the Cow Creek Road (off County Road 12). A 4WD vehicle is needed to cross Cow Creek and beyond to the end of the road, where parking is available near the trailhead.

ATTRACTIONS AND FEATURES:
It is 10.2 miles round trip to the Wetterhorn Basin overlook with an altitude gain of 4,000 feet. The trail switchbacks steeply 0.5 mile to the Uncompahgre Wilderness boundary. At 0.8 mile, on the ridge, is a huge rock wall along the west bank of Cow Creek below. Camps are passed 1.5 and 2.4 miles. A side trail goes right at 3.4 miles; stay left. At 3.6 miles is a fantastic basin with a huge vertical ridge ahead. The trail angles right, passing two house-sized rocks. Look for a cairn at 3.9 miles, partly concealed by fallen trees, which marks the trail as it heads right across talus. At 4.1 miles, go left downhill across gray, sandy soil and rock. Look for a spectacular fin-shaped pinnacle to the right. At 4.6 miles a large tree blocks a switchback on the right; go left around several trees to pick up the trail again. The dramatic dark summit of Wetterhorn Peak now comes into view. Stay right and follow the well-defined trail to the overlook on the ridgeline; look for cairns at the top (5.1 miles).

Cow Creek Road Washout, Spring 2009

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Coxcomb - #132

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TRAILHEAD (Wetterhorn Basin):
The Coxcomb Trail begins .7 miles down the south slope of West Fork Pass (See Wetterhorn Basin/Peak for details to the pass. Turn left onto the trail.

TRAILHEAD (Middle Fork of the Cimarron):
See Cimmaron, Middle Fork/Waterfall for details to the Middle Fork trailhead. The Coxcomb trailhead is 4.3 miles south on the Middle Fork Trail.

ATTRACTIONS AND FEATURES:
The trail switchbacks 1.7 miles to the pass, crossing the Middle Fork on the way. (At high water, always unbuckle pack straps when fording streams.) The trail switchbacks up over one ridge and down into a basin below Coxcomb Peak. It then switchbacks up another ridge and drops down to the Wetterhorn Basin Trail. Views of Uncompahgre, Matterhorn and Wetterhorn peaks prevail.

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Cutler Creek - #217

Cutler Creek | Okeson | Left Fork

Cutler Creek - Ahhhhh, That's Nice!

Trail workers lunch at the
high point above the
Cutler/Baldy junction

South from the high point
above the Cutler/Baldy junction
Potosi to the right

The Cutler Creek Trail

TRAILHEAD:
The trail begins begins in Thistle Park off County Road 14A above Lake Lenore. The trailhead is across the meadow where parking is available.

ATTRACTIONS AND FEATURES:
Round trip to the junction of the Baldy/Dexter Trails is 9.0 miles with an altitude gain of 2,610 feet. Taking the Cutler, Baldy, Left Fork loop is 8.9 miles. The trail has easy grades and good views. It crosses the creek almost immediately--at high water look for a large log downstream. Ascend left of the creek through forest and meadow for 0.75 mile, then turn left and follow a dry stream to the Okeson Trail junction (1 mile; see description below). Go straight 700 feet to the Cutler Creek Left Fork junction. Take the right fork down across Cutler Creek. Then climb to an open area--look NW for Horsefly Peak (10,347 feet) on the Uncompahgre Plateau and SW for Whitehouse (13,492 feet) and Mt. Sneffels (14,150 feet). At the Dexter/Baldy Junction turn left for a short distance on the Baldy Trail to an 11,140 foot hill top--a good lunch spot with views of Courthouse, Coxcomb, Wetterhorn, the back of the Amphitheater and Potosi. At the junction, the Dexter Creek trail goes right 4.7 miles to its trailhead, and Baldy goes left. The shortest loop back to the Cutler trailhead is 4.4 miles via Baldy (1.4 miles) and Left Fork Trail (see description below).

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A view from the Okeson
The Okeson Trail - #137
ATTRACTIONS AND FEATURES:
The trail begins on the Cutler Creek Trail one mile from the trailhead. Round trip to the Baldy junction is 5.8 miles with an altitude gain of 1,750 feet. The trail provides another, better link between Cutler and Baldy, with camps, forests, ridges and great views. The junction is in a meadow with a fire ring and water; Okeson heads up through the meadow, marked by cairns, posts and blazes as it bends left and crosses a dry stream. It curves along an open draw and then switchbacks through woods, reaching a rocky saddle at 0.8 mile. The ridge extends east with views of the Uncompahgre Valley and Whitehouse. At 1.4 miles is an aspen forest and meadow just before the junction with Baldy (1.8 miles).

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Left Fork Cutler/Baldy Junction Sign The Left Fork Trail - #217.A
ATTRACTIONS AND FEATURES:
This trail, also known as the Cow Camp Cut-off, offers another route of 1.9 miles between Baldy and Cutler. From the Dexter/Baldy/Cutler junction, it is 1.4 miles to the Left Fork Trail. The trail is faint across a meadow three switchbacks from the top, so watch for cairns and blazes as the trail angles down to the right. Cross three streams in the last mile. At the Cutler junction, turn right, go 700 feet to the Okeson junction and then 1 mile to the Cutler Creek trailhead.

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Dallas - #200

Gold Hill from the
East Dallas Trail
Photo by Anthony Gegauff

Work on East Dallas

Dallas/Corbett NW Junction

Gold Hill/Cow Point from
Moonshine Park

From L to R: Courthouse, Uncompahgre,
Redcliff and Wetterhorn - East from Moonshine

Looking East from Top
Of Moonshine Park
Three Photos Above by A. Gegauff

The Dallas Trail

TRAILHEAD (Corbett Creek):
The Corbett and Dallas Trails share a common trailhead at this end of the Dallas Trail. Drive 2.1 miles north of Ouray Hot Springs Pool on Hwy 550, then left across the Uncompahgre River. Immediately after the bridge, turn sharp right along the river. After 1.4 miles, the trailhead is on the left just after crossing Corbett Creek. Parking: Along the road at the trailhead.

ATTRACTIONS AND FEATURES: The Dallas Trail starts off on switchbacks along red cliff ledges, with views across the valley. Use caution on these sections. Farther on, there are glimpses down into the gorge of Corbett Creek. The trails divide at 0.9 mile; the Corbett Trail goes straight ahead. Turn right (north) for the Dallas Trail. The Corbett/Dallas Loop can be taken at this point. From the River Road to Moonshine Park is a round trip of 7.8 miles with an altitude gain of 2,330 feet. The round trip all the way to County Road 5 is 9.0 miles. For more description of the trail, see the narrative following the "TRAILHEAD (Middle Dallas)" information below.

TRAILHEAD (Middle Dallas):
On Highway 62, going west out of Ridgway, turn left at the west end of town on County Road 5 and drive approximately 8 miles south to Forest Road 852 and the trailhead. Park there. The Dallas Trail (west), which is like an old road, is to the right and is marked by a blue diamond. After climbing a small hill and crossing a stream, at 0.4 miles the trail enters an open meadow with views of Whitehouse, Ridgway, Teakettle, and "No Name" mountains. One mile from the Forest Road, the trail crosses Beaver Creek, and 0.3 miles beyond that, the trail makes a switchback to the left and is marked by a blue diamond. The trail continues west, comes to a junction with the Blaine Basin trail, and then continues west to the western trailhead off County Road 7.

Follow Forest Road 852 east for 1.4 miles to the Dallas Trail (east). There are two old posts in an open meadow at this point. Traveling east, the trail passes a cutoff to the Burn Ski Hut, and then on to Moonshine Park. This meadow offers an expansive eastern view including Courthouse, Wetterhorn Peak, Bridge of Heaven and the Amphitheater. Continue 3.9 miles further east to the River Road (Corbett Creek) trailhead.

TRAILHEAD (West Dallas):
From the intersection of Hwys 550 and 62 at Ridgway, go west on 62 for 4.8 miles. At the East Dallas Creek Road, turn left and drive 8.8 miles past Willow Swamp and the Forest Boundary to a locked gate. Park here. On the road south from the locked gate, keep going straight to where the Blue Lakes Trail takes off to the right. This is the Dallas Trail #200.

ATTRACTIONS AND FEATURES: The first mile is open to motorbikes and ATVs. From the register, go straight, then turn left on a wooden bridge over East Dallas Creek and follow the road. Stay left at two side roads; at 1 mile, take the right fork, crossing Wilson Creek on a two log bridge. (All of these crossing are difficult in high water.) Go right at the junction beyond the creek; the second crossing at 1.5 miles - a side track goes toward the falls. The Blaine Basin trail branches off at 2.3 miles, just .2 mile from where the trail turns sharply left from the creek. Go left from this junction, cross a dry wash, and continue on an easy trail to a ridge at 3.4 miles. Turn left and travel .2 mile for the Wilson Creek Summit. Once past the crest, on the main trail, go downhill to a road at 3.9 miles. Stay right through the woods to the Ridgway Ski Hut (4.7 miles). After a mile of switchbacks and curves, go right at a road junction; after another road, go right again. Cross Beaver Creek (6.4 miles) and arrrive at Miller Mesa Road (County Road 5) at 7.4 miles. You may exit here, or continue east on Forest Road 852 as described above under "TRAILHEAD (Middle Dallas).

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