Mayflower Gulch to Gold Hill

Distance: 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,996 ft -11,980 ft
Elevation gain: 1,040 ft
Date Hiked: 27 July, 2008
Bathroom at the Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash

The ruins of the Boston Mine stand out against the jagged contours of peaks surrounding Mayflower Gulch.

Mayflower Gulch near Copper Mountain is one of the most stunning hikes in Summit County and is one of my favorite spots to photograph wildflowers. We usually go up at least once every summer to check it out. It never seems to disappoint. 2008 was no exception. The fields were filled with many different species, the clouds were building, providing much needed shade to photograph the colorful ones, and the weather was sublime.

The trail to the back of Mayflower Gulch is a road that quickly disappears into the trees and heads steadily but not outrageously upwards.

Flowers grace the base of one of the cabins of the Boston Mine.

You get to the Mayflower Gulch trailhead by turning off of I-70 at the Copper Mountain and heading towards Leadville. There is a large parking lot on the left around 7 miles up the road. Because of the berm, you may not see it until you pass it. While packed in the winter, there is usually parking available in the summer.

There are many mining remnants in Mayflower Gulch

Looking down on the Boston Mine from part way up the road to Gold Hill.

The trail follows a rocky road (that you can drive if you want) for two miles. Occasional views and mining ruins along the way entertain the hiker but most likely you will be watching your footing and avoiding the streams that pour down during the melt off.

The cabins of the Boston Mine seen from the road to Gold Hill

The real fun begins when you exit the trees and enter into Mayflower Gulch's bowl. The picturesque jagged peaks and old cabins of the Boston Mine great the hiker at this point. I am often torn between lounging here to admire the view, continuing up the back bowl to the other ruins, or turning right and heading up the hill to Gold Hill. On this trip, we did it all until the threatening weather finally made us turn for home.

The further up Gold Hill you go, the farther back into the Gulch you can see.

In the summer, the slopes of Mayflower Gulch are verdant green and covered in wildflowers.

The route to the back bowl is quite obvious, simply follow the road.  From two thirds of the way to the end, there are several choices.  You can follow the road itself, bushwhack up the hill to the left, or climb the trail to the right that deadend into an old mine shaft.  All present stunning views back down the valley. Note the mileage listed on this post does not include the diversion to the back bowl. [Note: in 2010, the route to the mining ruin in the far back bowl was closed off for safety reasons].

View from Gold Hill looking south

View from Gold Hill looking southwest towards the Climax Mine retaining pond

Taking a right turn at the cabins and heading up the road to Gold Hill is also a fantastic way to explore the area. In the winter this is a bushwhack but in the summer you can follow a dirt road to the top. Most years there will be a slight scramble over the remaining snow cornice. 2008 was no exception.

View from Gold Hill looking southeast

Looking west across the broad ridge of Gold Hill

Many of the most beautiful wildflowers grow along the broad slope that borders the road to Gold Hill. I like to shove my telephoto lens into the grasses and play with bringing into focus various layers of the flowers. There are so many, it is hard to choose.

The mountain to the west

Once you get to the top of Gold Hill, you might just forget the flowers since the views from the ridge of Gold Hill are extraordinary. The green meadows to the south remind me of the Sound of Music. If you listen carefully, you can hear the opening strains of that musical and I swear Julie Andrews is about to come twirling out into the open.  You are going to want to linger here, so bring lunch and enjoy the phenomenal scenery.  Slightly southwest, you can see the giant retaining pond of the Climax Mine. While not a pretty wilderness sight, its colors do make a nice contrast to all verdant greens.

The mining ruin at the back bowl.  This area is now closed to the public.

White Crowned Sparrow (Zontrichia leucohyrus) nests in the central mountains of Colorado. It feeds on the ground scratching backwards with both feet simultaneously.

Some of you may have already seen my winter Mayflower Gulch post. Summer or winter, Mayflower Gulch is a destination not to be missed.  As a few parting shots I'll include a few obligatory flower pictures to get you motivated.

A close up of Indian Paintbrush

Purple Larkspur

Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum), Bistwort (Bistora bistortoides), unknown yellow aster, Aspen Daisy (Erigeron speciosus)

Square Top Lakes

Distance: 4.2 miles round trip
Elevation: 11,700 ft - 12,300 ft
Elevation Gain: 850 ft (net), 1,100 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at the Trailhead: Yes
Dogs: Off leash
Critters: Golden Eagle, White Crowned Sparrow

Lower Square Top Lake as seen from the upper lake. Mt. Bierstadt in the background.

Square Top Lakes near Georgetown Colorado is a short tundra hike to two alpine lakes with incredible views. The entire trail is above treeline, which is always a treat for those like me who don't like slogging miles through the trees to get anywhere.

Looking down into the first valley

I chose this hike for the first hike of the 4th of July weekend because I needed to get my 15 year-old dog out for a short hike that was not overly rocky. Last year I had made it to the lower lake but ended up jogging back to the car as the thunder rolled overhead. This area is notorious for afternoon thunderstorms that will have you cowering in fear if you are careless and start late. On this trip, the skies stayed clear and I was able to lounge at the upper lake for an hour or more. There I saw a Golden Eagle flying against the mountainside. Even with my telephoto lens it was merely a spec against the expanse of rock.

Western Sky Pilot (Polemonium viscosum). It grows at high altitudes on dry rocky sites.

The trailhead for Square Top Lakes is at the apex of Guanella Pass. The lower parking lot is full of Mt. Bierstadt climbers and the upper lot contains overflow. Both lots have nice new bathrooms. The trail descends 100 ft into a small valley where is crosses a creek on a series of wooden bridges. It then rises quickly to a large rocky knoll. There were Buddhist payer flags strung across the rocks here and another hiker told me someone had died in an avalanche there. From this knoll, the trail descends another 100 ft before rising to the first lake. This lake is pretty, but the view from the upper lake is even better. Both lakes are nestled at the base of Square Top Mountain. That is an adventurous hike as well!

A small section of the upper lake

Wildflowers covered the tundra and at one point I tried to estimate their distribution. It seemed like there was one flower every six inches or so. I lost count of the number of species present but white and yellow seemed to be the predominate colors. On the broad shelf that borders the upper lake, tiny tundra flowers sprouted in crevices of every rock. I need to get myself a magnifying glass so I can examine these more closely.

Alpine Sunflower (Hymenoxys grandiflora). Also known as Old-Man-of-the-Mountain. They bloom in clumps from May to June and turns to face the sun.

On my way back down I lingered at the lower lake for a few moments. There I met Jack, a Chesapeake Bay Retrieve/Lab mix. This dog looked more like a Grizzly Bear than dog and he was shuffling through the water of the lake backwards shaking his hindquarters in a most un-lady like manner. The owners said he was trying to loosen rocks on the bottom with his front paws. This activity, combined with piteous whines was a site to behold. Occasionally, Jack would thrust the upper half of his body underwater like a duck feeding on grass and come up spouting. At last, we saw Jack bound out of the water with a 10-pound rock in his mouth. I wish I were so easily entertained. Still, if I were caught moving my hindquarters in a similar manner, I would be arrested for disturbing the peace! This vignette might just convince you that Square Top Lakes is great for dogs.

The White Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophyrus) is a migratory songbird that mainly eats seeds. There were many of them singing away in the willows. I have a better photo on my Mayflower Gulch Wildflower Hike

If you check out Square Top Lakes, go early so you won’t have to run from the thunderstorms, which can pop up very quickly on Guanella Pass. Another great hike nearby is Silver Dollar and Murray Lakes.

The rock hound