Colorado Trail (Segment 3) Wellington Lake to Buffalo Creek

Distance: 8 miles round trip
Elevation:8,262 ft - 8,390 ft
Elevation Gain: 935 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash
Tags: #ColoradoTrail, #coloradooutdoors, #hiking
Other hikes in area: Gashouse Gulch, Pine Valley Loop

This short stint on segment 3 of the Colorado Trail is cushy on the paws and mellow romp through the trees.

The Colorado Trail stretches almost 500 miles across the state from Denver to Durago. Divided into 28 segments, it can be hiked in 4-6 weeks straight through, in segments, or just in bits and pieces because it is so dang beautiful.

Trailhead

On this trip I was looking for a trail I had not done that would allow an off leash dog. Looking on the topo map I decided to head down towards the Wellington Lake Trailhead and hike eastward (away from the wilderness area) toward the Buffalo Creek Trailhead.

This segment is mostly in the trees

This bit of the Colorado Trail was a delight. The ground was a magic carpet of pine needles...soft and nearly rock free. While in the trees most of the time, the forest was open and airy and I was able to keep and eye on the dog as she bolted hither and yon. It was so smooth and level that I found myself walking along at over 3 mph.

Rock piles occasionally appear

The only downside was the lack of water and the sparse views. There was one meadow with a view of the Castle, an eroded rock pinnacle to the west of Wellington Lake, but that was about it. There is a rifle range 3 miles in, which was very active. Handgun fire to small nuclear explosions could be heard a long way off.

Most of the trees are Ponderosa, but this stint contains mostly Lodgepole

You get to the trailhead from Denver by heading up highway 285 to Bailey and then south on Forest Service Road 560 towards Wellington Lake. 560 is paved for only a short distance but then becomes hard packed dirt. Two other FSRs branch off from 560. If you stay to the right you'll find the trailhead, which is located on the right hand side of the road and very obvious.

View of the Castle

My turn around point just past 4 miles one way 

This backcountry campsite made a great lunch spot

West Lime Creek

Distance: 4 miles round trip (out of 6 miles possible)
Elevation: 10,000 ft - 10,306 ft
Elevation Gain: 695 ft (cumulative)
Bathroom at Trailhead: No
Dogs: Off leash
Date Hiked: 26 August 2013

West Lime Creek near Silverton Colorado

West Lime Creek in the middle of a San Juan rainstorm is like journeying to the Pacific Northwest. It is wet, primeval, and filled with VW-sized mushrooms. Most of the route traverses the drainage half way up the slope so there are lovely views of the creek below.  On this trip, heavy clouds obscured the peaks in the distance but added to the otherworldly ambiance.

The "10,000 ft" sign indicating where to park.  You won't see this driving from Silverton because of the angle and its location up the slope.

Starting down into the drainage

Initial trail segment

The start of West Lime Creek is located at a sharp swtichback approximately 10 miles south of Silverton Colorado on Highway 550 at a small two-car sized pull off. Even though there is a small green sign with the word's "10,000 ft" that marks the spot, the sign is perched 20 feet above the road and easily missed. As it was there was a car in the middle of pull off with a "gentleman" peeing by the side of the road, all this anatomy exposed for world to see. We were so busy commenting on the bestial nature of some men that we raced by the spot not realizing we had passed the "trailhead".

One of several waterfalls along the route

Crossing the creek

This specimen of Rameria largentil, a yellow "coral" mushroom was found near the creek crossing. While some consider it edible, it is known for its powerful laxative effects.

The trail descends 50 feet or so from the road and the levels out, traversing grass-covered hillsides or stands of Spruce and Fir. At 0.5 miles is small waterfall that can only be seen by grabbing onto trees and hanging percariously over the highly eroded bank.  A few tenths of a mile further on, the trail crosses the stream above the waterfall. A large red arrow painted on a rock by the edge leads the way.

Crossing an open meadow

I took another shot of this Amantia muscaria mushroom with my sunglasses perched easily on top. Witches brew anyone?

This unnamed point at 12,200 ft is visible from several points along the trail.

The San Juans are a wetter mountain range than others in the state and the flora proves it. We came across clumps of Coral Fungi, their bright yellow colonies standing out against all the greenery. Freakishly malevolent Amanita muscaria toadstools covered the forest floor tempting the unwary to lick their poisoness slime. They are easy to identify with their bright red tops, white stems, and white dots. Pine needles covered the trail creating a soft and welcoming journey.

Much of the route in the forest was damp and dripping.  No surprise given the weather, but the flora indicates it is wet much of the time.

This is a close as you can get to this waterfall.

Close up with a zoom lens

We chose West Lime Creek as a way to get some exercise on an other wise very rainy day when hiking above treeline is otherwise not recommended. We wanted to try several smaller hikes and only went 2 miles up the drainage while 3 miles is possible. Right around 2 miles the trails starts to drift to the west opening up views of the Twin Sisters, two rounded 13ers that dominate the skyline.

As the trails curves to the west, the Twin Sisters, two 13,000 ft peaks come into view. The Colorado Trail travels along the ridge ahead, just about treeline.

West Lime Creek is a fascinating trail that anyone visiting Silverton will want to put on their list. It can be done as a break between the harder and more famous Ice Lakes and Highland/Mary Lakes or as a worthwhile destination in its own right.