 | | The Saint Vrain Glacier Trail #917 continues west where the Buchanan Pass Trail #910 makes a sharp switchback to the east one and a half miles west of the Middle Saint Vrain Trailhead, and 5.3 miles west of the Buchanan Pass Trailhead on the Buchanan Pass Trail. This junction is also 3.6 miles west of the Coney Flats Trailhead and 7.0 miles west of the Beaver Reservoir Trailhead on the Beaver Creek and Buchanan Pass Trails.The Saint Vrain Glacier Trail continues west through the Indian Peaks Wilderness for another 3.1 miles to Gibraltar Lake (elevation 11,200 feet), at the foot of the Saint Vrain Glaciers. The first part is on an old road, but there are two unbridged crossings of Middle Saint Vrain Creek, which can be difficult, especially in early summer. Near the crossings the trail breaks up into little paths as hikers seek the easiest route across the creek.The old road ends at a scenic pond with little islands. The outlet can be crossed on a pile of logs, but guests should watch their footing as they are old and rotting. At a large cairn on the far side, a constructed trail continues for another mile. In a field of boulders, even the trail gives up, leaving the hiker to wind through the rocks. Before the small lake in the bottom of the valley, a faint path climbs the hillside towards Gibraltar Lake, running out somewhere in the rocks. The Saint Vrain Glacier Trail ends in a dazzling cirque basin, resplendent with a half-dozen delicate lakes, craggy rock walls and glacial remnants. |
| |  | | | Facilities: Camp Dick is located nearby Saint Vrain Glacier Trail #917. Reservations: Reservations are not needed or accepted to use this Saint Vrain Glacier Trail #917. Best Time To Visit: Saint Vrain Glacier Trail #917 is open year round, but peak season is June through October. Fees: A parking fee may be charged. Accessibility: This area is not handicap accessible. Rules: Backcountry camping in the Indian Peaks Wilderness is by permit only. Permits are required for camping along this trail June 1 to September 15. Directions: To get to Saint Vrain Glacier Trail #917 from Boulder: To reach the Beaver Reservoir Trailhead , turn off of Colorado 72 onto County Road 96 (about four miles south of the turnoff for Camp Dick).Drive about two miles west to Beaver Reservoir. You can park at the Beaver Reservoir Trailhead and hike to Coney Flats Trailhead, which is partly on the 4WD road and partly on an old private road, closed to 4WD.If you have 4WD with high clearance, you can reach Coney Flats Trailhead by driving four miles farther on FDR 507 (a.k.a. Coney Creek Road - this is a rough 4WD-only road, closed from late October through mid- to late-June).(From the Coney Flats Trailhead, FDR 507 continues northwestward to join up with FDR 114. * Note that FDR 507 from this point on is very rough, for experienced 4WD drivers only.) | | |
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| | | | Address | | Boulder Ranger District | | 2140 Yarmouth Ave | | Boulder, Colorado 80301 |
| | | Phone | | General: (303) 541-2500 | | TTY: (970) 498-2727 | |
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