Eagle’s Nest Wilderness, Silverthorne, Colorado
Date of Trek: August 30 - September 1 2019
Logistics
Overview: This is a trip I did with Son #1 over the Labor Day Weekend, 2019. We selected this area based on proximity to Denver and since we wanted around a 30 miler and still have time to do a Fourteener the after our main hike.
Eagle’s Nest Wilderness is easily accessible from Denver, being only a 2 hour drive out of the city. Lots of options for the trails and we decided to head for Salmon Lake on Day #1. For this trip, we did a few trail sections, beginning with an out and back on the Gore Range Trail from the Mesa Cortina Trailhead up to Willow Lake, then back down to connect catch a connector trail over to Eccles Pass and then exit on the Meadow Creek Trail to the Meadow Creek Trailhead.
Day #1: Destination Salmon Lake Campsite. We chose to leave from Mesa Cortina since the lot at the trailhead allows for overnight parking, something not available at all the various trailheads in. Silverthorne. Departing from the trailhead, the hike that begins with an easy ascent for several miles where you get a good view of the town below. The first mile or two is through basic alpine meadow and you quickly enter an area where the forest has been devastated by some type of bug that destroyed nearly all the older trees, all of which remain as deadfall. In the distance on the left you can see the mountains to be climbed and continue to make a circuitous route to as you approach the first campsite at Salmon Lake. The trail is super easy to follow and gets much more interesting the closer you get to Camp #1.
Elevation: 11,223 ft.
Coordinates: 39.65763N 106.16613W
Distance from Trailhead: 10.9 miles
What is important to know here is that as you approach Salmon Lake from the trail, it will be on your left side. The trail eventually seems to dead end right a the edge of the water on the west side of the lake and there are not any good clearings at that spot for your tent. Continue on to your right along the lake through the woods, maybe 40 - 50 yards from the water, and you will come to an excellent campsite with many places to pitch your tent. We were fortunate to have it all to ourselves and it felt like we were the only ones on the planet!
Day #2: Destination Eccles Pass Campsite
It would have been easy to just end our trek there and spend a day or two. Regardless, we packed up on Day #2 and headed out to find Willow Lake further up the trail. Back tracking 0.3 miles, we dropped our packs at the trail connector, then headed the additional 1.5 miles to Willow Lake. If you have the legs to do so, this might actually be a better place to camp than Willow Lake. We encountered many mountain goats and even a moose on the trail.
Elevation: 11,000 feet
Coordinates: 39°37'03.8 106°10’19.8”W
Distance: 13.1 miles
After checking out Willow Lake, we retreated back down the trail and picked up our packs then descended 2.8 miles where we picked up a connector trail and headed south before heading back west on the Gore Range Trail towards Red Buffalo and Eccles Pass. After an easy mile or two, you gain about 1,000 feet over a mile and end up above the tree line in a huge alpine meadow. There are a few small lakes with easy water access and at night your reward is a sweeping view of the valley below. We spent the evening all by ourselves, with only the stars to keep us company. Now this meadow is seriously huge and there is no cover unless you stay near the tree line. So pick wisely if there is threat of any storm.
Day #3: Destination Meadow Creek Trailhead
The next day was an easy descent of 5.4 miles to the Meadow Creek Parking Trailhead where we had planned to pick up an Uber ride back to our car. Sadly, no Uber would pick us up, though eventually got a Lift driver who would do so. Cell reception was poor at the parking lot so we had to walk down the road a bit to get a signal.
