Antones– FDT 1871

 

Difficulty:                  Moderate

Trail Use:                  Low

Length:                     2.8 miles

Elevation:                 Starts at 9560 ft, ends at 9011 ft, highest point 10,025 ft

Elevation Gain:       -549 feet

Open To:                  Hiking, horseback riding

 

Access :   From Eagle, take I-70 west 7 miles to the Gypsum exit and take a left after exiting.   Head towards town, turning right at the Forest Access sign, Valley Rd., this road will turn into Gypsum Creek Rd., FDR 412.   Stay on this road for 18 miles, it will dead-end at LEDE Reservoir, the trail begins at the east end of the reservoir. You will see the trail marker about 1/3 mile up the road.

Trail Highlights :   The trail begins as an old jeep road, then into as aspen forest as a gradual uphill climb until it comes to the top of a ridge into a small open meadow where it might become faint. It can be found across the meadow just past a single fir tree.   Antones Lake- FDT 1871.1 is accessible to the right on the ridge top.   The descent continues through aspen, spruce, fir and another meadow. At this point the trail becomes hard to find because of cattle trails leading to the water.   The trail runs to the right of the Antones Spring stock tank and follows the drainage to the Powerline Rd., FDR 414, near Sylvan Lake.   The ridge top meadow is the perfect spot for a summer picnic.   Scenic views of Mount of the Holy Cross at 14,005 feet, and the mountain peaks of the Sawatch Range are breath-taking from this vantage point.