Highland Mary Lakes Loop 7.8 mi 12.5 km • 1,824' Up 555.88 m Up • 1,824' Down 555.87 m Down. Alpine lakes are just about my favorite highlight of backpacking trips. Climb 1,300 feet from the trailhead to reach the first of the Highland Mary Lakes. The hike is located in the Weminuche Wilderness - the largest … The trail into Spencer Basin begins as a road on the west side of the drainage. The trailhead is the end of Forest Service road 589 east of Silverton. Hiking poles would be helpful for steeper sections and creek crossings. Easily accessible from the Cunningham Gulch road by most high clearance vehicles, this backcountry trail into the Weminuche Wilderness offers astounding high country views. Great way to enjoy a clear day. Highland Mary Lakes via Spencer Basin, loop hike Friday, October 4, 7:30 am New Destination. View 7 Day Forecast on weather.gov. The Highland Mary Lakes is a short backpacking loop hike located in the Weminuche Wilderness of southwest Colorado. You’ll quick gain 12,000 ft. and stay there for much of the 9-mile loop. Wager Gulch-Carson Ghost Town – About 5.5 miles beyond the south side of Lake San Cristobal, the road comes to Wager Gulch. The blue-line route is the shorter Highland Mary Lakes option, and the red-dot route is the shortcut from Verde Lake to #674. We headed back as threatening afternoon clouds began to roll in. Cunningham Gulch Sunset. High mountain ridges encircle the lakes to the west, and if you turn around, you can peer far back down where you came from in Cunningham Gulch. ajberry - Jun 27, 2017 10:36 … Solo big loop of the area, Cunningham Gulch up to PT 12905, then out and back to "Beartown Bald" and followed the Whitehead Trail around the back of the Highland Mary Lakes area to PT 12936, then up the 13109-Whitehead saddle. Rich sunset light illuminates the golden autumn tundra of Cunningham Gulch, with the Grenadier Range in the background. Highland Mary Loop. I'm not sure how long it is but other hikers I talked to were doing it as a day hike today. Featured Routes. The Highland Mary Lakes is a short backpacking loop hike located in the Weminuche Wilderness of southwest Colorado. Travel. This one has been on my to-do list for a couple of years now - so when it was posted as a day trip for Western Slope Adventurers on my last free Summer weekend, I jumped at the chance to do it! Drive past these and head up the hill to the end of the road. The trail is approximately 3 miles, one way, but can be made into a 7.8 mile loop via a segment of the Continental Divide Trail to Cunningham Gulch Trail. Mar 5, 2015 - View of the Highland Mary Lakes in the Weminuche Wilderness of Colorado. Make a longer loop by combing it with the Cunningham Gulch Trail. Silverton, CO. Highland Mary Lakes Running. I actually was hoping that the smoke in the air would make for a good sunset later in the evening. That will require further research and a more detailed map because I don't know where all of the trail intersections are located. Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop. I love high basins. Trip Name: Highland Mary Lakes/CDT/Cunningham Gulch Loop Area: Weminuche Wilderness… Highpoints #41, 42 and 43: Wisconsin, Michigan and Minnesota Blog Post , Posts By intuito September 11, 2017 5 Comments Tram tower at end of road. From short and sweet hikes (the Piedra Falls Trail runs about 1.2 miles round trip) to epic trails to high altitude lakes (like the 7.6-mile Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop Trail), there’s plenty of ways to explore on foot. Once above tree line you will wind in between the Highland Mary Lakes chain. The Highland Mary Lakes trail is an exception, providing day hikers quick access to this alpine wonderland. … Approach from the Highland Mary Lakes/ end of Cunningham Gulch out of Silverton. Passenger cars can make it close to a trailhead (to reach the actual TH it is better to have a 4WD - stream crossing required). Highland Mary Lakes - Silverton A little over a month ago I hiked Highland Mary Lakes - a gorgeous hike southeast of Silverton. Trinity and Silex Lake Route 34.4 mi 55.4 km • 9,059' Up 2761.26 m Up • 9,059' Down 2761.11 m Down. Hike up into Spencer Basin, if it is separate from the Highland Mary Lakes loop. Travel Guide. After 0.4 miles, the trail reaches a junction with the Cunningham Gulch Trail #502. The open meadows are filled with wildflowers in the late summer, providing beautiful views and excellent opportunities for photography. Starting our hike from the Highland Mary Trailhead in Cunningham Gulch. Carpool $8. The Highland Mary Lakes area has wide open … This trail passes by the two largest Highland Mary Lakes as well as the nearby Verde Lakes. You drive about four miles through Cunningham Gulch on an increasingly rough road that includes a creek crossing at the end. Passenger cars will … Water availability is not a problem, but all water used in this area should be filtered, due to Giardia. Cunningham Gulch Trail . East of Silverton, this is a rewarding and scenic hike past alpine lakes, through a high tundra basin, on a trail with spectacular valley and mountain views. The Highland Mary Lakes are rated fair for rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout, but keep in mind, like most subalpine lakes… The Highland Mary Lakes are perhaps one of the most popular day-hike destinations in the area. The Cunningham Gulch is a fantastic backcountry camping option for those visiting the Silverton area, whether for off-road excursions or hiking. There is room for several vehicles to park. Here, the Alpine Loop intersects with County Road 36, which heads south for about five miles to the ghost town of Carson. Highland Mary Lakes: This day hike from Silverton offers a glimpse of what the Weminuche is all about: high tundra, wildflower fields, remote lakes and extensive views — all in an 8-mile there-and-back hike. Tacoma on tundra. Travel Tips. Followed the ridge from 13109 over Whitehead and Rhoda to Mountaineer and down Spencer Basin. From short and sweet hikes (the Piedra Falls trail runs about 1.2 miles round trip) to epic trails to high altitude lakes (like the 7.6-mile Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop Trail), there’s plenty of ways to explore on foot. The hike visits three of the seven Highland Mary Lakes as well as the Verde Lakes, all above 12,000-ft. Getting to the lakes basin requires a bit of effort. Climbing out of Cunningham…” Silverton, CO. RECOMMENDED ROUTE Very Difficult. Register by Email. Total Mileage: 10 miles. The Highland Mary Trail starts east of the old mining town of Silverton (which is worth a visit itself.) Wanted to go further but got stormed out as we climbed back up to high country on the CDT. The loop is created by combining the Highland Mary Lakes Trail # 606, the Whitehead Trail # 674, the Continental Divide Trail # 813, and Cunningham Gulch Trail. Colorado Travel Guide .. Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop. We knew going into this hike that there was a good chance of smoke coming over from the 416 Fire near Durango. Turning left, the climb strains towards treeline, garnering some 1,000 feet of elevation before soon settling again. Trail Attributes. Hike the Highland Mary Lakes → CT → Cunningham Gulch trail loop. Area: Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest in Colorado. Visit three alpine lakes perched atop a high rolling plateau in the northwest corner of the rugged Weminuche Wilderness backcountry of Colorado. Take time to explore the main lakes, or keep following the trail up another 300 feet to a high tundra shelf. Saturday Classic Hike: Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop Saturday, August 3, 7:30 am Canceled due to road closure. Camped by West Ute lake that night, got two inches of snow during 6 hours of kinda terrifying lightening. Saved from coloradoswildareas.com. Cunningham Gulch (FS#502) Leaving the trailhead behind, the first half mile of the route rises through 700 feet of stunted high-alpine growth as the trail clambers towards treeline. Visit three alpine lakes perched atop a high rolling plateau in the northwest corner of the rugged Weminuche Wilderness backcountry of Colorado . Trailhead Elevation: 10,700 feet. Trip Name: Highland Mary Lakes/CDT/Cunningham Gulch Loop. From the start, the Highland Mary Lakes Trail #606 follows a curvaceous path along Cunningham Creek. The Highland Mary Lakes area has wide open feel with broad gradual grassy … Posted: Jan 26, 2015 by Sam Szarka. Meeting with the Highland Mary Lakes connector, one last switchback brings you into the final patch of trees before a rolling tundra unveils unhindered mountain views off to the west, including Mount Rhonda, Kendall Peak and Little Giant Peak. Do not camp on the lake shore. Hike as far as you want…the Colorado Trail continues to Durango, Colorado and the Continental Divide Trail continues to Mexico. The five-mile stretch up Wager Gulch is a rough road that requires a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle. Note the old tram tower that was probably associated with the Highland Mary Mine. Next day we hiked back out to the highland Mary trailhead via the Cunningham gulch. Trail on Cunningham Creek, Mountaineer Creek, and Deep Creek in San Juan National Forest, Weminuche Wilderness. At about 1.9 miles there is a junction with a trail to Cunningham Gulch/Highland Mary Lakes Loop and at 3.3 miles is another junction with Highland Mary Lakes Loop/Whitehead Trail. 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