Hiking – North Fork of the Big Thompson River Trail

Very Difficult Hike
Make sure you're comfortable with the distance, elevation gain and pace

Our trip has a Difficult rating due to distance, elevation gain, pace, and steep trail. If you have not already done a few hikes of at least 3,000' vertical gain this season then this trip is not for you (please email me for an exception). Expect this trip to take 8-10 hours from the trailhead. Our actual time may be different based on weather, strength of the group, length and frequency of stops, and other factors.

Route

This 15.5 mile route travels on-trail through forest and burn scars, and manages to just rise above timberline. The total elevation gain is 4,700’ for the day. We’ll park at the North Inlet trailhead west of Drake (elev. 8,113') and climb to a highpoint of 11,268' when we summit Signal Mountain. The trail is steep, rocky, and dry - expect to be challenged.

Signal Mountain (and it's nearby cousin, South Signal Mountain) are "small" mountains that just manage to push their peaks above timberline. They reside on the very northeast corner of the Mummy Range. Signal Mountain is fourteen feet higher than South Signal Mountain but South Signal Mountain is more interesting with a small summit block that requires a bit of Class 2 scrambling to reach the top.

We may elect to add South Signal Mountain to our itinerary, depending on the group, weather, and time of day. This summit adds about 1 mile and 200' gain to our route.

A portion of this this trail was in the Cameron Peak Fire of 2020, the largest fire in Colorado history. After the first few miles, we will hike about 2 miles through a section of severe burn scarring (virtually no vegetation except dead trunks) along with some unburned areas to the east of the trail.

More info

If you’d like to know more about the area and the route, please check out the links below.
Trail - Summit Post
Trail - Adventure Collective
Stats - PeakBagger

The summit of Signal Mountain (and South Signal Mountain) resides in Comanche Peak Wilderness. Comanche Peak Wilderness and the surrounding Roosevelt National Forest are administrated by the Canyon Lakes Ranger District.

We will meet at 6:00 for a 6:15 departure from the Wagon Road Park-n-Ride located West of I-25 at 120th Avenue. (When you turn South from 120th onto Melody, travel about 150 yards and turn Right for parking.) Google link here.

We will hike from the North Inlet trailhead just west of Dunraven (this is NOT the North Inlet trailhead in RMNP). Travel on U.S. Highway 34 west of Loveland to Drake. Turn right on County Road 43, Glen Haven Road, and continue for 6 miles to Dunraven Glade Road. Turn right and travel 3 miles to the trailhead parking lot at the end of this gravel road.

Parking: There is room for 23 vehicles and a vault toilet at the trailhead.