Directions:

The Stone Quarry BLM Area is located in between Del Norte and Monte Vista.  About 5 miles south of Del Norte and 7 mile north of Monte Vista, turn left onto the good dirt road at the BLM Stone Quarry Sign.  The trailhead is about ¾ of a mile down the road. 

Hike Description:

The Vision Quest Loop is a wonderful option to explore the hills and ridges that mark the transition from the San Luis Valley to the eastern edge of the San Juan Mountains.  The hike is relatively short at about a mile and half and has some quick elevation gain but nothing very difficult.  The trail is within the BLM’s Stone Quarry Area and has the opportunity to link to longer trails if you take the Stone Quarry Trail to the northwest past the loop.  

The hike starts off along the Stone Quarry Trail and quickly gains some elevation; views of the Sangre De Cristo Mountains across the San Luis Valley are immediately impressive.  After just a few minutes of hiking, turn left onto the Vision Quest Trail.  The next half mile of hiking zig zags up the eastern slopes of a small hill and reaches the rocky edge where the hill steeply falls away and presents some impressive views of the area to the west leading to the Rio Grande National Forest and the San Juan Mountains foothills.  The western foothills views get better and better over the next half mile until the trail turns back to the east and rejoins the Stone Quarry Trail.  Turn right on the Stone Quarry Trail to return to the trailhead, or left if you want to extend your hike and explore further.  

This is a stunning area to explore and the Vision Quest Loop is a great option for winter hiking without much snow.  The canyons, ridges, and rock formations leading up to the snowy peaks of the eastern San Juans foreshadow the epic Colorado landscape that is building to the west as the valley becomes a mountain range.