DIRECTIONS:

From Walden, head North on CO 125 to the small town of Cowdrey. Turn left on Co Rd 2502/6W which soon becomes 2501 and turns from pavement to good dirt road. Any car should be able to handle this road in good weather. Turn left on road 600.1 and enter Routt National Forest. Follow 600.1 down to Big Creek Lake.

HIKE DESCRIPTION:

Big Creek Lakes provides a striking contrast. The lake and the Park Range backdrop is absolutely beautiful but the surrounding forests are slowly recovering from massive wildfires. The decimated forests provide a somber contrast to the beauty of the mountain range. This tucked away hidden gem is well worth a visit. There is a large campground that typically has available campsites and far thinner crowds than most lakefront recreation spots. There are a number of hiking options near the lake and the Big Creek Lakes Trail is wonderful but also needs some serious trail maintenance…contrast again…

The trail starts from the northeastern shore of the lake at the point where the road becomes a 4WD road. A gate and seasonal closure marks the start of the hike and there is a large parking spot just before the gate. Start hiking down the road and after a few minutes you’ll reach a small beach next to a Forest Service Rd 660 sign. The trail should be obvious as it begins to follow the shoreline.

Soon the trail gains a ridge with tremendous views to the west and a picturesque lily pond to the east. Almost immediately you’ll notice the downed trees and debris blocking the trail. Keep going. The trail follows the ridge, descends, rises, descends (etc…), and switches between beautiful lake views and dense vegetation. The views from the majority of the trail are not to be missed. Red Elephant Mountain take center stage along the viewshed with the high alpine ridges linking Mt. Zirkel and Flattop Mountain to the South. The view is pretty much constant as you hike.

At the .8 mile mark, you reach a section where the trail disappears under fallen trees and overground vegetation. We looked around for a few minutes but could not find an obvious trail or detour. I’m sure the trail starts up again but we had kids in tow and the obstruction marked the end of our explorations. Luckily, the hike back is just as scenic as the hike out, and we had more time to play around on some of the lakeshore beaches before heading back to the campsite for the evening.

All in all, Big Creek Lake is a wonderful place to visit and as the forest regrows, its just going to get better.