This loop trail starts near the end of the road climbing into Cunningham Gulch, which is rough, rocky and requires high clearance to get to the trailhead. Approach from the Highland Mary Lakes/ end of Cunningham Gulch out of Silverton. Carpool $8. Followed the ridge from 13109 over Whitehead and Rhoda to Mountaineer and down Spencer Basin. Cunningham Gulch Trail . This trail passes by the two largest Highland Mary Lakes as well as the nearby Verde Lakes. Rich sunset light illuminates the golden autumn tundra of Cunningham Gulch, with the Grenadier Range in the background. Make a longer loop by combining it with the Cunningham Gulch Trail. 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. Trailhead Elevation: 10,700 feet. Mar 5, 2015 - View of the Highland Mary Lakes in the Weminuche Wilderness of Colorado. 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. Trail on Cunningham Creek, Mountaineer Creek, and Deep Creek in San Juan National Forest, Weminuche Wilderness. Like. Once above tree line you will wind in between the Highland Mary Lakes chain. I love high basins. Saved from coloradoswildareas.com. The Cunningham Gulch is a fantastic backcountry camping option for those visiting the Silverton area, whether for off-road excursions or hiking. Hike up into Spencer Basin, if it is separate from the Highland Mary Lakes loop. We spent the second day doing a fairly long day hike from Stony Pass to a high point above Highland Mary Lakes. Travel. Water availability is not a problem, but all water used in this area should be filtered, due to Giardia. 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. Continue up the road and come to parking areas for hikers doing the Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop, a very popular hiking trail. The trail starts at 10,480 ft., and climbs 1,600 ft. to the first lake. 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. That will require further research and a more detailed map because I don't know where all of the trail intersections are located. Alpine lakes are just about my favorite highlight of backpacking trips. This trail is easy to follow but doesn't give you very many breaks in the first two miles. 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. Register by Email. Easily accessible from the Cunningham Gulch road by most high clearance vehicles, this backcountry trail into the Weminuche Wilderness offers astounding high country views. 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 Cunningham Gulch Loop. Cunningham Gulch Sunset. You drive about four miles through Cunningham Gulch on an increasingly rough road that includes a creek crossing at the end. Travel Tips. Wanted to go further but got stormed out as we climbed back up to high country on the CDT. The Highland Mary Lakes is a short backpacking loop hike located in the Weminuche Wilderness of southwest Colorado. Prints Available. From the start, the Highland Mary Lakes Trail #606 follows a curvaceous path along Cunningham Creek. Climb 1,300 feet from the trailhead to reach the first of the Highland Mary Lakes. Next day we hiked back out to the highland Mary trailhead via the Cunningham gulch. The trailhead is the end of Forest Service road 589 east of Silverton. Visit three alpine lakes perched atop a high rolling plateau in the northwest corner of the rugged Weminuche Wilderness backcountry of Colorado . RECOMMENDED ROUTE Very Difficult. Total Mileage: 10 miles. Silverton, CO. Highland Mary Lakes Running. 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. Register by Email. Posted: Jan 26, 2015 by Sam Szarka. This is a very popular trail and can be very crowded, especially on weekends. The blue-line route is the shorter Highland Mary Lakes option, and the red-dot route is the shortcut from Verde Lake to #674. Area: Weminuche Wilderness of San Juan National Forest in Colorado. 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. View 7 Day Forecast on weather.gov. Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop. Three principle trails originate in Cunningham Gulch. Featured Routes. 682 Likes, 7 Comments - @gobroncobilly on Instagram: “Colorado Running Ranch Giddyup Camp, day 3: Highland Mary Lakes Loop. 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 Start at the parking area for Cunningham Gulch and Highland Mary Lakes and get ready to sweat. You’ll quick gain 12,000 ft. and stay there for much of the 9-mile loop. Passenger cars will … Wager Gulch-Carson Ghost Town – About 5.5 miles beyond the south side of Lake San Cristobal, the road comes to Wager Gulch. Big views, small miles: The Highland Mary Lake Loop is a mere 7.8 miles, and while that could easily be achieved in a day, slow down and take your time experiencing the unparalleled beauty of San Juan Mountain high country. Saturday Classic Hike: Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop Saturday, August 3, 7:30 am Canceled due to road closure. There is room for several vehicles to park. I'm not sure how long it is but other hikers I talked to were doing it as a day hike today. The five-mile stretch up Wager Gulch is a rough road that requires a high-clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle. Hiking poles would be helpful for steeper sections and creek crossings. Do not camp on the lake shore. 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! Highland Mary Lakes - Silverton A little over a month ago I hiked Highland Mary Lakes - a gorgeous hike southeast of Silverton. The Highland Mary Lakes is a short backpacking loop hike located in the Weminuche Wilderness of southwest Colorado. Colorado Travel Guide .. Take time to explore the main lakes, or keep following the trail up another 300 feet to a high tundra shelf. Upper end of gulch. Highest Elevation: 12,550 feet. Get Here. I actually was hoping that the smoke in the air would make for a good sunset later in the evening. ajberry - Jun 27, 2017 10:36 … The Highland Mary Lakes are rated fair for rainbow, cutthroat, and brook trout, but keep in mind, like most subalpine lakes… 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. Hike as far as you want…the Colorado Trail continues to Durango, Colorado and the Continental Divide Trail continues to Mexico. Apr 22, 2018 - Highland Mary Lakes Cunningham Gulch Loop | Colorado's Wild Areas 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. Starting our hike from the Highland Mary Trailhead in Cunningham Gulch. 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. Click on the map to enlarge. The Highland Mary area is a high-altitude, subalpine basin that is largely free of trees. Note the old tram tower that was probably associated with the Highland Mary Mine. The Highland Mary Lakes area has wide open … The Highland Mary Trail starts east of the old mining town of Silverton (which is worth a visit itself.) Travel Guide. 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