Mount Zirkel Loop Trail is a 10.3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Clark, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. With fresh views at every step, none of your time or energy is wasted. They may not be 14ers or even 13ers, but these peaks in the heart of the Mt. From Gilpin Ridge, the distance to Gold Creek Lake is approximately 3 miles. We promise not to annoy you, but if you wish, you may unsubscribe at any time. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips and is best used from June until September. Seasonal wildflowers. The loop consists of two trails: the Gold Creek Trail (#1150), which connects to the Gilpin Trail (#1161) at a junction about 5 miles into the hike. The centerpiece, Gilpin Lake, pools beneath the ramparts of Gilpin Ridge, Big Agnes Mountain, and 12,180-foot Mt. I had set that up months ago and forgot about it. It is gorgeous and it is long. Start checking them out and you'll be out on the trail in no time! They say you cant sleep at the trailhead but clearly people do it, maybe in their cars? Add Your Trails. Be prepared to get wet! At 12,180 feet, it is the high point in Colorado's Park Range, Routt County, and its namesake wilderness. As far as Colorado outdoor recreation areas go, the Zirkel Wilderness is a bit off the radar for most. (Probably not what you'd find on a weekend or before Labor Day.) Photo: Jeremy White. Zirkel Wilderness. Mother nature is starting to show signs of fall which is absolutely gorgeous. Thankfully the smoke started clearing up around noon. Dogs are also able to use this trail but must be kept on leash. Rocky Mountain columbine should be blooming over the next several weeks in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area. 1.8k votes, 35 comments. © 2020 Outdoor Project. The views as you come up on the pass from the South are breathtaking and then you will have us the hard parts behind you as you descend to Gilpin Lake. Would love to come back in a few weeks to see the Aspens Rifle Falls. It also ranks number fourteen among Colorado's most prominent peaks. Trailhead was very busy so parking and getting on the trail early was key. Gold Creek Lake is the smaller of the two, and less picturesque, but it is a great relaxation spot and a frequent swimming hole for those that visit in the summer heat. A 3 day backing loop in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness of Colorado. Though a bit bumpy at the end. I saw 1 hiker at the trailhead when I left and a camp just before the first lake. Mount Zirkel Loop Trail is a 10.3 mile heavily trafficked loop trail located near Clark, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. I am proud to say that I hiked to the summit of Mt. Other than it’s length, it is a fairly easy trail. Get to the trail early because by 11am on Sunday there were at least 50 cars parked miles down the road. 4 am start at Slavonia trail head and reached the summit at 10:30 am. This Wilderness area is home to the headwaters of the Elk, Encampment and North Platte Rivers, as well as some 70 lakes, high mountain peaks (including the 12,180 foot-tall Mount Zirkel for which it is named) and a portion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail. Tip - go counter clock wise - gold creek then gilpen. With that being said, it’s so crazy to me that not one review has mentioned that this hike clocks in closer to 13 miles not 10.5. Simply put, Mount Zirkel is one of the best mountains in Colorado. The highlight of the hike is the stunningly blue Gilpin Lake which provides a magnificent photo opportunity from the top of … The Garmin recorded the loop as 10.9 miles. Passed a number of folks on the trail which required stepping off the trail because of narrowness. O_leeps | Big Mountain Ski Videos 2,466,153 views 8.6 mi 13.9 km #1 Rainbow Lake Trail #1130. My GPS said 11mi for the loop. It’s known as the “Zirkel Circle”. But I love the feature! Zirkel Wilderness area provide a great wilderness experience. A good example of this is the semi-polished summit of Mount Zirkel (12,180 ft.), the highest point in the wilderness. So I would say that if I can do it, so can you! We went counterclockwise. Great day hike. Very doable in one day and you get amazing views with lots of water. Not surprising that we saw more backpackers than hikers. ... Timberline Trail, Mount Hood Wilderness, Oregon - 41 miles (3-5 days) Some visit Mt. Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment? Once in the wilderness, you can access Mt. All of this wilderness is located in northwestern Colorado and is managed by the U.S. Forest Service. The sprawling wilderness area was expanded in 1980 and again in 1993. Hiking trail description and photographs of the Gilpin Lake/Gold Creek Lake loop in the Mt. The Zirkel Circle is usually done … September 15 and 16, we headed to Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and then an hour more into the Zirkel Wilderness. We did it counterclockwise and that is definitely the way to go. As far as Colorado outdoor recreation areas go, the Zirkel Wilderness is a bit off the radar for most. There was no snow (unlike a week ago, apparently), just tiny bit of mud, and the downed trees are all cleared from the trail now. I didn't run as much as I wanted due to unhappy knees. Not an overnight worthy trip, unless you are planning for little or big agnes also.. Close to the Front Range and boasting 156 lakes tucked into rocky cirques and sleepy forest, the park is the premier spot in Colorado for backpacking and hiking in to catch some trout. We did this as a day hike and tracked it as close to 12 miles total. Mount Zirkel Wilderness Area is located directly west of Walden, Co and north of Steamboat Springs, Co. Our original plan was to head out Monday and hike in from the East Boundary. Walden, CO 2 21.1 mi 33.9 km #2 CDT: Buffalo Pass to North Lake (CO Sec. It can be a nice day hike, or you can use it to enter the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Backpacking under the stars in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Lots of little stream crossings and the colors were great! The Zirkel Circle hike is a loop that connects the Gilpin Lake and Gold Creek Lake trail (1161 and 1150, respectively) in the Zirkel Wilderness just outside of Steamboat Springs. We were getting itchy eyes and sore throats, but at least we had masks to wear! There are 15 peaks in the wilderness that surpass 12,000 feet in elevation, with 12,180-foot Mount Zirkel being the highest. We decided to do it in two days, camping at night simple because of the amazing camp spots you can find around the trail. The trail is primarily used for hiking and nature trips and is best used from June until September. Zirkel Wilderness north of Steamboat Springs, CO. Luckily four spectacular lakes are an easy day hike off of Seedhouse Road near the mountain town of Clark. Hood to scale its 11,000-foot heights, but this historic trail leads you around its belt. Masks helped a lot! We were able to find parking around 8:30 am on a Sunday morning without any problem. The total distance to Gilpin Lake is a bit over 4 miles, and the Gilpin Ridge overlook to the south of the lake is roughly the halfway point of the hike. Closer to 11 miles on my recording. There were many fallen threes but it was good to see that the forest had many workers clearing them up. But the section of trail through northern Colorado’s Zirkel Wilderness still stands out. No snow and the trees were all cleared! We believe good things come from people spending time outside. Trail itself is well kept. I am 29 weeks pregnant and did this as a 1 night backpacking trip this past Labor Day weekend. Phone 303-478-7586 Geologically speaking, the Zirkel Wilderness is relatively new. Those who have seen the area's rugged peaks, picturesque alpine lakes and meadows, and spectacular summer and fall colors would likely happily keep it way. This allows you the great reward of viewing Gilpin Lake from the highest point. Went from a full run to dead stop. The Zirkel Wilderness which is northwest of Steamboat provided my entry into backpacking and fishing. Recommend going up over the top and making a loop. The gold creek lake is a great snack point , and after descending into Gilpin area. My only suggestion is that I wish more people had some sort of mask, as 90% of the people on the trail did not have any sort of mask and there are plenty of portions of this trail where you can not give 6 feet of distance. It consists mainly of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness … We did the research for you, completed the hike, and definitely recommend doing it counter-clockwise. – Mount Zirkel Wilderness Lakes are plentiful and beautiful. Heading toward Gilpin Lake, a spur trail to Mica Lake will diverge to the left in just over a mile. Sign up to receive our weekly newsletter packed with the best adventure guides, travel ideas, news, and articles. Definitely more like 13 mi than the listed 10 mi. On short notice, I found 2 great hikes for me around Steamboat Springs. Zirkel Wilderness Area. The road to the trailhead could be traversed by any car. The USGS was entrusted with the responsibility for mapping the country in 1879 and has been the primary civilian mapping agency of the United States ever since. Trails in Mount Zirkel Wilderness - 43. Beautiful lake up top and lush green trails (for Colorado). Excellent trail with a bit of everything-lakes, wildflowers, and views! In and out of the Lake Katherine Trailhead on the East side of the Wilderness Area. It was named after highest peak Mount Zirkel, which was named after the geologist, Ferdinand Zirkel. From the Slavonia Trailhead you'll begin your hike along the Gilpin Lake Trail (trail 1161). We got to the trail head just after 8 am and barely got a parking spot. Mount Zirkel Wilderness trail locator map. Stops included: Bear Lake, Summit of Mt. The Mad Creek Trail is located just outside of Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Also saw mule deer, marmots, all the squirrels ... the.usual crowd. fantastic backpacking and lots of streams for your fury friends. It’s about building relationships with the outdoors and each other. Ahh, Wilderness! Zirkel is the high point of Routt County and of the Mt. This map also shows area affected by the Routt Divide Blowdown. Loop hikes are considered to be the pinnacle hiking experience. Glaciers shaped the region a mere 15,000 years ago and owing to a shorter ice age, many of peaks are left in a state of mid-transformation. However, the road leading up to the TH has lots of free dispersed camping. We backpacked what is locally known as "The Zirkel Circle." Definitely recommend doing it counterclockwise as the views seemed to be even better. The Best Winter Adventures in North America. It’s about more than standing on the mountain top. Mount Zirkel/Park Range Area The Mount Zirkel/Park Range area is on the Routt National Forest in northwestern Colorado. As others have suggested, I would recommend a counterclockwise loop. We camped near Gilpin and finished the loop the next day. Beautiful hike through many types of environments (meadows, wetlands, alpine, forests, waterfalls and streams). Definitely a great hike in ROCO. I bet in a few weeks the Aspens will be peaking. When researching and talking to others, all direct you to hiking to Gilpin Lake in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. It’s about nourishment and learning. Once in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness, there are a number of camping options along the loop as long as you observe Wilderness regulations. The wilderness and the peak are both named after Ferdinand Zirkel, a German geologist. Zirkel Wilderness See moose, elk, and one of the biggest wildflower displays in Colorado. 1.1m members in the hiking community. You will arrive at Rainbow Lake after about 3.5 miles. We spend four days in Zirkel on a backpacking loop. Due to last minute changes, my normal hunting partner, Rita, was unable to go. If you’re looking for an early summer backpacking trip, try this lower elevation version of the Zirkel Circle — a loop encompassing Mad Creek, Swamp Park, Red Dirt and Saddle trails. Take some time at this viewpoint (we ate lunch) and soak up the amazing view. The small store in Clark provided the entry. It now contains over 160,000 acres of land, situated within the Routt National Forest. Zirkel, Big Horn Lake. It’ll work you to do the full loop in a day with backpacking gear, but it’s doable. Started seeing hikers coming up a couple miles below Gilpin Lake, and lots of people closer to the trailhead. The best known USGS maps are the 1:24,000-scale topographic maps, also known as 7.5-minute quadrangles. I used Strava app to track, and it said we did 11.7 miles total. Also, a counter clockwise loop is suggested. Amazing trail. There are 26 moderate trails in Mount Zirkel Wilderness ranging from 1.9 to 17.6 miles and from 6,774 to 11,066 feet above sea level. Zirkel—where the natural infinity pool drops off to its eponymous creek. Hiked on Friday 10/2/2020. Mt. Walden, CO Intermediate. If you are a strong hiker, you can do it in a day and don’t need to backpack it. I’ve hiked it about 4 times this summer already. Wonderful views as always. Expansive wilderness area. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure. Very high elevation -- most of the trip between 9,000 - 12,000 feet along the continental divide. Don’t do this trail, unless you love wildflowers, butterflies, alpine meadows, and gorgeous lakes! Zirkel, alpine style, in a single day. We were about 5 minutes from the trailhead when I (DeNae) realize that I had left my hiking shoes at home. All trails map routes you away from a stream crossing to climb a log over faster water, just cross the stream. Did the loop counter clockwise and planned to camp before the climb to Gilpin Lake, but we were feeling great and opted to do the whole loop. Mary Korch. Hiking Project is built by hikers like you. Two of our volunteers last week overnighted and cleared trees from the wilderness legs of Swamp Park and Red Dirt. Remarkable view points. We took a right at the fork to this in a counter clockwise direction. The Zirkel Circle hike is a loop that connects the Gilpin Lake and Gold Creek Lake trail (1161 and 1150, respectively) in the Zirkel Wilderness just outside of Steamboat Springs. Great views, spectacular cascades, and Greenback Cutthroat trout. Totally silent at the pass & Gilpin Lake except some birds & pika - magical. Rifle Falls is a lovely 0.6-mile hike to one of Colorado’s iconic waterfalls! Lots of running water and wildflowers everywhere. Regardless, the decision must be made early, as the loop junction is less than 0.25 miles from the Slavonia Trailhead. I’d much rather hike this in the heat of the summer with a dry trail. First, I love this site! Now is the time to get out and enjoy a great variety of mountain wildflowers if you pick your hiking trails carefully. Some trails have an abundance of flowers whereas other trails have relatively few. Definitely in the top ten best hikes I’ve ever done! From approximately 1947 to 1992, more than 55,000 7.5-minute maps were made to cover the 48 conterminous states. The Mica Basin Trail #1162 is an obvious spur up along a creek drainage that descends from Mica Lake at the base of the … Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Gold Creek lake is only a few miles from the trail head, but it's all uphill! Great underrated area of Colorado and would highly recommend as a day hike. A 45-minute drive from Steamboat Springs, this loop hike offers some of the best views of jagged peaks in the area as well as two alpine lakes. It’s about protecting what sustains us. Spectacular alpine lakes. Less than a quarter-mile from the trailhead you'll reach the Gold Creek Lake Trail (trail 1150) junction, which … Monte Bello Open Space Preserve, California. We went counterclockwise, mainly because the forest fire smoke and haze was really bad in the morning and we wanted to at least see one lake if we had to bail early in the hike (gold creek lake is a shorter hike than gilpin). But when it arrives, it rushes in with a blaze of wildflower blossoms and a surge of meltwater that turns trickling streams into raging cataracts. Today the Clark store is thriving from serving the growing population in the area and the large influx of vacationers and hunters. The hard work is worth the views. The Zirkel Circle is the most popular hike in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness. Steamboat Springs and Elkhorn Mountain OHV Loop. To obtain information on a trail you see below, move your curser over the trail and if there is information available the curser will turn into a pointed finger. This trail is good … Click on the trail with the pointed finger to go to the web page for that trail. Intermediate. This way was less steep. Beautiful, moderate hike. Beautiful hike! It was one of the original areas protected under the 1964 Wilderness Act and has since been expanded twice to its present size of 160,648 acres. Definitely one of the most beautiful lakes I have ever seen. I’m really glad we did the whole loop- gilpin was amazing even in the haze, and we had some blue skies for the hike back down! The incline from Gold lake to Gilpin is tough but you are rewarded with amazing views! Nice day hike. The 6.4 mile out and back to Slide lake starts out at an elevation of 8750 and gives you a total elevation gain of 1777 feet at the end at Slide Lake. Zirkel Wilderness Area is one of the most beautiful places to hike imaginable, with trails of all lengths and levels of difficulty. Start at the Rainbow Lake Trailhead 1126 in the Mount Zirkel Wilderness which is 19 miles south west of Walden, Colorado off Country Road 22A. Gorgeous in the fall. Many of these lakes are deep within the wilderness and unless you are an ultra marathoner, better seen on a backpacking trip. However, she recruited her fellow Minneapolis firefighter, Ben Pena, to join me. The Mount Zirkel Wilderness lies within the Routt National Forest in northwestern Colorado. Beautiful wilderness. The Zirkel Circle can be hiked in either direction; below is a clockwise description, but counterclockwise offers a more gradual ascent. Easy to cancel ... and no cell signal, so wouldn't have worked, anyway. Went counterclockwise. Beautiful views with the recent snow, however there were a ton of fallen trees that we were constantly climbing over/under or walking around which made the trek slow. After that, not a soul for miles. Just remember you cannot camp close to the two large lakes, you have to be 1 and 1/4 mile away from them and that is pretty well marked. I hiked/jogged it in 3h 30m. The view overlooking Gilpin Lake is fantastic. A decent number of accolades for a mountain in a state which contains over 1,000 higher peaks. S&S Wallride at Jackson Hole, 85 Foot Cliff Front Flip, Drone Powder Skiing with Owen Leeper - Duration: 5:15. Outdoor Project may earn commission on products purchased through our links, which supports the work we do for our readers. All rights reserved. Side note: I rolled my ankle badly on the way down where aspen leaves are covering the trail, hiding rocks. About 4200 vertical feet and 11 miles to summit. Did the loop mid-week and was not disappointed. Mt. It … It is just under 3 miles to get back to the Slavonia Trailhead from Gold Creek lake, making it a popular out-and-back day hike destination. Zirkel, Red Dirt Pass and the remainder […] Started about 7am Fri, 9/18. Mt. Rainbows, browns, brookies, Yellowstone cutthroat and native greenback and Colorado River cutthroat (which the park has been reintroducing since 1975) all make their home here. Beautiful hike. At 11.2 miles long, it's a challenging day hike, or lovely single night backpacking trip. Summer comes late to the snowy Park Range at the core of Colorado's Mt. I would not recommend doing this hike right now if you are sensitive to bad air quality. Completed this past weekend, first time planning to backpack it with our 10 year old pup. Also, due to the recent snowfall, it was fairly wet throughout and really slushy/snowy near the lake and the saddle. just did 2 nights this weekend. By Erik Jensen, IBT Local 320 Recently, I returned from my first elk hunt, which was in Colorado’s Mount Zirkel Wilderness area. My Garmin watch immediately went into emergency contact mode! The large land area of the Mount Zirkel Wilderness features a … The hikers' subreddit. Speaking, the Zirkel Wilderness was unable to go to the TH has lots of for! Off the trail because of narrowness # 2 CDT: Buffalo Pass to North Lake ( CO Sec the. 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We promise not to annoy you, completed the hike, or lovely single night backpacking trip 8:30... Parking spot we did the research for you, but if you wish, you can Mt!