Basics
- Location:
- 35 miles west of Boulder
- Setting:
- Mountainous
- Length:
- 13.8 mile roundtrip
- Difficulty:
- Intermediate
- Time:
- 7 to 8 hours
- Trailhead Elevation:
- 10500 feet
- Elevation Change:
- 800 feet
- Season:
- June - October
Description
The Beaver Creek Trail #911 begins at the Mitchell Lake Trailhead. This is the same trailhead as the Mitchell Lake Trail, but it leaves at the west end of the parking lot, and the Beaver Creek Trail exits to the north. It climbs into the Indian Peaks Wilderness, then in another half mile, switchbacks up a steep pitch. It circles the ridge near treeline, then just above the treeline, about 1.7 miles from the trailhead, the Mt. Audubon Trail #913 forks left (west). Beaver Creek Trail continues northward for another 3.4 miles, descending the northeastern flank of the mountain on a very nice old graded trail, dropping into Coney Flats. For the northern half of this distance, it follows the Indian Peaks Wilderness boundary.
From the Coney Flats Trailhead, the Beaver Creek Trail heads both west and south. The westward leg of the trail begins on the west side of Coney Creek and takes you back into the Indian Peaks Wilderness, a quarter mile to the Coney Lake Trail #914 to the left (south), then another 1.4 miles to end on the Buchanan Pass Trail #910. The Buchanan Pass Trail continues west 1.9 miles to Buchanan Pass, and north to Middle Saint Vrain Creek. The southward leg of the Beaver Creek Trail begins east of Coney Creek and the little pond. It is a quarter mile on the Coney Creek Road between the two trailheads. There are bridges for hikers across the two forks of Coney Creek which can be quite deep. The trail follows the Indian Peaks Wilderness Boundary, climbing over the shoulder of Mt. Audubon. It's 3.4 miles from the Coney Flats Trailhead to the intersection with the Mt. Audubon Trail #913, and another 1.7 miles to the Mitchell Lake Trailhead.
Length: Mitchell Lake Trailhead to Mt. Audubon Trail - 1.7; Coney Flats Trailhead - 5.1 miles; to Buchanan Pass Trail - 6.9 miles. DISTANCES ARE ONE-WAY.
Details
Location:
Setting:
Length:
Difficulty:
Time:
Trailhead Elevation:
Elevation Change:
Season:
Useful Map(s):
Map + Directions
Basic Directions
Proceed 13 miles north of Nederland, west of Boulder on Highway 72 to just north of the town of Ward.
Turn west onto the Brainard Lake Road (a.k.a. County Rd. 102, FDR 112). Travel approximately 5 miles on the paved road to Brainard Lake. (This road is closed half way from about late October to late June or early July).
Follow the signs for the Mitchell Lake Trailhead at the west end of Brainard Lake. Two trails start at this trailhead.
The Beaver Creek Trail is the one to the north.***Please note that there is an entrance fee for driving into the Brainard Lake Recreation Area - $6 for 5 days, $25 for an annual pass
