BPX Trip – 3-Day Never Summer in RMNP from Colorado River TH

Learn about the CMC's Backpacking Section (BPX) and become a member here. 

Meetup directions will be emailed to participants prior to the trip.

This trailhead is located within the national park, where parking might be limited. We will carpool. Note, we enter the park from the west side of the Continental Divide near Grand Lake. 

This trip will provide a mix of history, particularly the history of water management in the West, and some good miles through the high country. We start by following the Grand Ditch, a high elevation road and man-made waterway, along the western edge of the national park, then turn east and eventually south again, following the Colorado River itself through meadows and forest to the gold mining ghost town of Lulu City before returning to the trailhead. 

Cost for permits per person is $12, due within 1 week of registering for the trip (due by July 1). I will email you payment instructions once you register. There are no refunds should you choose to cancel after paying. 

I have not been in this area before, so consider it an exploratory trip! We will follow the standard route + place with these specifics:

Day 1: Hike Red Mountain Trail to Valley View campsite and make camp. 3.4 miles, 1300 feet elevation gain. 

Day 2: Get up early and hike to Dutch Town campsite and make camp. If weather is clear and it's early enough, we can continue on to Lake of The Clouds, then back to camp at Dutch Town for the night. 3.7 miles, 810 feet total. The approach to the lake is steep, unmarked, and crosses a talus field. This part of the hike is for hikers comfortable route finding and crossing unstable terrain above treeline. It is optional - you can stay at camp and relax! High point at lake is 11,374 feet. 

Day 3: Break camp early and hike north on the Grand Ditch to Skeleton Gulch, to Thunder Pass Trail, to the Colorado River trail, turning then and heading south on the Colorado River trail. Stop at the ghost town of Lulu City for a break, including a potential soak in the Colorado River before it heads 1450 miles southwest to the ocean. 9 miles, ascend 500 feet, descend 2180 feet.