Hiking Options - Hike to Water

Square Top Lakes

Guanella Pass - near Georgetown / Idaho Springs

• Trail Type: Out and Back
• Difficulty level:  moderate
• One-way distance:  4.2 miles
• Dog friendly:  yes
• Entrance fee:  no
• Restroom facilities:  Yes

Directions:
Geo Location: 39.597272,-105.713003

Summary:
Guanella Pass is famous for its high-alpine scenery. But also at the pass, on the opposite side of the road from the Mount Bierstadt trailhead, lies the trailhead for scenic Square Top Lakes. The trail shares parking with several other routes, including the popular fourteener, Mount Bierstadt (Geneva Mountain Trailhead). An early start ensures not only convenient parking, but a hike that can be completed before summer afternoon thunderstorms strike. Square Top Lakes Trail (sometimes called South Park Trail) starts on a level trail through tundra flowers and drops into a rich boggy area prior to rising gently across a floristic south-facing slope. It then turns west to reach the lower of the two Square Top Lakes. More than six dozen wildflower species enliven this 1.5-mile alpine hike. Wildflower alert: Fields of scarlet paintbrush.

Resource(s):
http://www.trails.com/tcatalog_trail.aspx?trailid=HGR188-049
http://alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/square-top-lakes-trail

Mohawk Lakes & Continental Falls

Breckenridge, CO

• Difficulty level:  moderate
• One-way distance:  3.0 - 7.0 miles
• Dog friendly:  yes
• Entrance fee:  no
• Restroom facilities:  no

Directions:

From the Denver area, take I-70 west to the Breckenridge exit 203. Follow Hwy. 9 south and drive through Frisco and on to Breckenridge. Breckenridge is about 9 miles south of Frisco on Hwy. 9.

Directions to Continental Falls trailhead: from Breckenridge, continue driving south on Hwy. 9. At about 2.4 miles from the last light in Breckenridge, turn right on Spruce Creek road which is a dirt road. Continue on Spruce Creek Rd. for about 1.2 miles to the parking area and trailhead. (Make sure you stay on Spruce Creek Rd. since there is a spot where the correct direction isn't clear. That spot is at about the second fork in the road and you want to follow the road around to the left; don't take the right fork otherwise you'll be going the wrong direction.)

Directions from Breck to Spruce Creek Trailhead

GPS Coordinates

View these GPS points on a Google Map

• N39 26.236 W106 03.035 — 0.0 miles: Spruce Creek Trailhead
• N39 25.974 W106 03.250 — 0.1 miles: Cross Spruce Creek
• N39 25.421 W106 04.057 — 1.5 miles: Wheeler Trail Intersection
• N39 25.295 W106 04.457 — 2.1 miles: Fire Road crossing - Green Sheds
• N39 25.271 W106 04.775 — 2.5 miles: Various mining camp ruins off trail
• N39 25.323 W106 04.832 — 2.6 miles: Mayflower Lakes - 11, 365'
• N39 25.326 W106 04.839 — 2.65 miles: Cross Mayflower outlet stream
• N39 25.307 W106 05.147 — 3.1 miles: Lower Mohawk Lake - 11,861'
• N39 25.207 W106 05.274 — 3.3 miles: Travel between lower and upper Mohawk
• N39 25.151 W106 05.396 — 3.5 miles: Upper Mohawk Lake - 12,110'

Source(s):

• http://www.colorado-hiking-vacations.com/colorado-waterfalls.html 
• http://www.protrails.com/trail/summit-county-eagle-county-clear-creek-county-mohawk-lake-and-lower-mohawk-lake

Butler Gulch

Idaho Springs, CO

• Difficulty level:  Moderate
• Distance/Time: 5 Miles / 2.5 hours
• Type: Out and back
• Elev. Gain: 3400 feet
• Season: Year-Round
• Usage: Medium
• Animals: Dogs
• Features: Forest, River, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife

Summary:

Butler Gulch is a 5 mile out and back trail located near Idaho Springs, Colorado that features a river and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking & snowshoeing and is accessible year-round. Dogs are also able to use this trail.

Directions:
From I-70, take exit 232 to US 40,proceed northwest approx. 9 miles to small town of Berthoud Falls. Turn left at the sign for Jones Pass/Henderson Mine. Follow paved road 1.6 miles to a gate, turn right on Forest Road 144. The trailhead is a half mile ahead.

Source(s):

• http://alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/butler-gulch
• http://alltrails.com/events/2012/09/hike-butler-gulch

Beaver Brook /Chavez trail loop

Genesee Park, Golden, CO

• Difficulty level: Moderate
• Distance/Time:  3.6 miles / 3 hours
• Type:  Loop
• Elev. Gain:  800 feet
• Season:  December to November
• Usage:  Light
• Animals:  Dogs
• Features:  Forest, River, Waterfall, Wildlife

Directions:
Genesee Park is 20 miles west of Denver on I-70 to Exit 254 (Genesee Park Exit) or Exit 253 (Chief Hosa Exit).

From Denver:  Directions from I-70 / CO-470

• Take I-70 W/Grand Jct (7.7 miles from I-70/CO-470 Junction)
• Take Exit 253 towards Chief Hosa (.2 mi)
• Turn Right onto Moss Rock Rd (102 ft)
• Turn Right onto Stapleton Rd (1.1 mi)

GEO Location: 39.716971, -105.315489

Source(s):
http://alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/beaver-brook-trail-and-braille-nature-trail

Beaver Brook Trail

Golden, CO

• Difficulty level:  Moderate
• Distance/ Time:  12 miles / 1 hour
• Type:  Point to point
• Elev. Gain:  1600 feet
• Season:  May to November
• Usage:  Medium
• Animals:  Dogs on leash
• Features:  Forest, Lake, River, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife

Summary:
The trail on the west side drops down into Beaver Brook, then climbs back out to the top of a 7800' peak so there is a fair amount of climb on that side. The east side if you start at Windy Gap is fairly level although there are scramble and scree piles to climb over.

Direction:
The Beaver Brook trail system is easily accessed from the east, at Chimney Gulch near Golden or from Windy Gap on Lariat Loop Road or from Colorow Road at the Lookout Mountain Nature Center. From the west it can be accessed from the Stapleton Drive trail head off I-70 at the Chief Hosa.


Source(s):
http://alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/beaver-brook-trail

Maxwell Falls

(Maxwell Falls Upper Trailhead) Evergreen, CO

• Difficulty level:  Moderate
• Distance/Time: 4.0 miles / 1.5 hours
• Type:  Loop
• Elev. Gain:  794 ft
• Season:  March to November
• Usage:  Medium Animals: Dogs on leash, Horses
• Features:  Waterfall

Summary:
Maxwell Falls Trail is a 4 mile loop trail located near Evergreen, Colorado that features a waterfall and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible from March until November. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.


Directions:
Directions from Evergreen: Take Highway 74 to the center of Evergreen. Turn right at the stoplight onto Highway 73. Go to Brook Forest Rd. and turn right. The lower trailhead is encountered first. To access the upper trailhead go past the lower trailhead to Black Mountain Road. On Black Mountain Road turn left and go 1.25 miles to the upper trailhead.

To see Maxwell Falls Upper Trailhead on a map click Here.

Maxwell Falls Upper Trail Head - Geo Loc: 39.562323408383634,-105.37657856941223

Resource(s):
http://trailparkreviews.blogspot.com/2012/10/upper-maxwell-falls-hiking-in-evergreen.html http://alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/maxwell-falls-trail

Watershed North (not verified)

Evergreen, CO


Distance/Time:  4.2 miles / 2 hours
Type:  Loop
Elev. Gain:  1181 feet
Season:  May to October
Usage:  Medium Animals: Dogs on leash, Horses
Features:  Forest, Lake, River, Views, Wildflowers, Wildlife

Directions: (NOT VERIFIED)
From Denver:

Take the exit toward I-70 W/Grand Jct
1. Take exit 248 toward Beaver Brook/Floyd Hill (0.2 mi)
2. Turn right onto Co Rd 65 (92 ft)
3. Turn left onto US-40 W (1.1 mi)
4. Turn left to stay on US-40 W (495 ft)
5. Continue onto Homestead Rd (400 ft)
6. Turn left onto Co Rd 181/Beaver Brook Canyon Rd
Continue to follow Beaver Brook Canyon Rd (2.8 mi)
7. Slight left onto Pat Creek Rd
Destination will be on the right (0.1 mi)


Watershed north is a 4.2 mile loop trail located near Evergreen, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail is primarily used for hiking and is accessible from May until October. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash.