ALDER CREEK TRAIL - U.S.F.S. #510

TRAILHEAD:   Section 10 T43N, R10W

Parking area, trailhead information board, camping area

TRAIL END: Section 24 T44N R1OW

Elevation 10,080’ at the junction with the Dallas trail on the Ouray district of the Uncompahgre National Forest

ACCESS:  Last Dollar Road #638 or Hastings Mesa (Sawpit) Road from Highway 145

LENGTH:  5.5 miles or 9 KM one way

RECOMMENDED SEASON:   mid-May to November Winter use not recommended due to avalanche prone terrain

AMOUNT OF USE: light

DIFFICULTY:   easy

U.S.G.S. TOPO MAP:  Sams

SUGGESTED USES: hiker, horse; motorized/mechanized travel prohibited in designated wilderness, areas.

CONSIDERATIONS:

Trail contours from Last Dollar Pass towards Hayden and North Pole Peaks in the Mt. Sneffels Wilderness. Last Dollar Pass is passable to vehicles with clearance, but 4WD is recommended. Slippery when wet. May have heavier use during hunting season. Good campsites with water are available.

TRAIL DESCRIPTION:

From the top of Last Dollar Pass, the trail switchbacks down through north-facing conifer forest. It levels out around 10,600’ and begins a 1.5 mile contour through fairly dense forest with lots of deadfall to the wilderness boundary. The trail then cuts back into the upper reaches of the Alder Creek drainage. It climbs up to a small meadow with a creek crossing near an old cabin site under Hayden Peak. From there the trail continues to traverse, climbing up to a waterfall cascading down cliffs under Hayden Peak. The trail crosses a large slide path here. Then it contours out the ridgeline. It drops down off the ridge into mixed conifer/aspen forest. After passing through a few open aspen grove meadows, the trail again drops down all the way to 10,080’ and a trail junction with the Dallas trail near the wilderness boundary.