FALL CREEK TRAIL #2001
Length:
8.7 miles (one way)
Trail Use: Moderate to High
Difficulty:
More Difficult
Open To: Hiking, Horseback
Beginning Elevation:
10,314 ft.
Ending Elevation: 11,170 ft.
Elevation Gain:
+865 ft.
USGS Map(s): Minturn,
Mt.
Holy Cross
Access from Vail
:
Take Exit 171 off I-70 for Minturn and Hwy. 24. Turn right onto Hwy.24:
NORTH TRAILHEAD
, proceed about 4 miles, passing through Minturn, to
Tigiwon Road #707. Turn right onto
Tigiwon Road and continue to the end – 8 miles of rough dirt road. Park at the parking area at the end of the road.
SOUTH TRAILHEAD
, proceed 12 miles on Hwy. 24 to
Homestake Road #703. Turn right and travel 8 miles on
Homestake Road to the
Holy
Cross
City jeep road #759. Park here and walk about 2 miles up the road to the trailhead. NOTE: This jeep road is very rough and should not be attempted unless you have a 4WD with a winch.
Trail Highlights
:
From the North Trailhead, the trail climbs gradually to
Lake
Constantine . After crossing Fall Creek, the trail climbs abruptly to the alpine meadows below Fall Creek Pass. Over the pass, the trail drops down to the
Seven
Sisters
Lakes and then to
Hunky
Dory
Lake before intersecting the
Holy Cross City Jeep Road . It’s another 2 miles down to
Homestake Road #703.
Comments
:
The middle portion of the trial, from
Lake
Constantine to
Hunky
Dory
Lake , is less traveled. The stair step arrangement of the
Seven
Sisters
Lakes and the towering rock cliffs around them offers rugged alpine scenery for hikers who venture farther. Many side trips can be taken from this trail such as
Notch
Mountain ,
Tuhare
Lakes and the
Holy
Cross
City site.