TRAILHEAD: Section 12
T42N, R9W
Elevation 9040', at the Trailhead on Bear Creek Road #635
TRAIL END: Section 17 T42N R8W
Elevation 13,000' at junction with Bridal Veil Road #647
ACCESS: From South Pine Street in the town of Telluride take Bear Creek Road #635 across the San Miguel River and follow it for two miles. This road crosses through private land for most of the first two miles. Look for a small trailhead sign above the road on the right at two miles. About 1/4 mile further the road ends near a large boulder and a waterfall.
LENGTH: 4.8 miles or 8 KM
RECOMMENDED SEASON: Late June to mid-October. Winter use not recommended due to possible extreme avalanche danger and skiers descending from the Telluride Ski Area above.
AMOUNT OF USE: light to moderate
DIFFICULTY: Hard
U.S.G.S. TOPO MAP: Telluride
SUGGESTED USES: hiker, horse
CONSIDERATIONS:
A steep but spectacular trail that leads into the backcountry just
outside Telluride. The first mile is the steepest
grade. It was built many years ago for mule trains to haul
ore from the Nellie Mine. One section is blasted into the
side of a rock cliff and has a bridge across a large crevice.
Much of the trail is above timberline. In Upper Bear Creek
Basin, it climbs to 13,000' at the divide between Bear Creek and Bridal
Veil Creek. It is approximately three miles to the divide.
If you continue on, it is about 1 1/2 miles to the
administrative road to Blue Lake. This road continues
downward to the old Bridal Veil powerhouse and you can continue down
the road to Idarado Mine and Telluride. The total distance of
the trail and road is approximately ten miles. Occasional
campsites are available above timberline.
The trail starts with steep switchbacks, heading up under cliffs and avalanche chutes draining Gold Hill and the Telluride Ski Area. It then traverses across cliffs above waterfalls to a small basin where it meets the East Fork of Bear Creek. The trail progresses upward past the Nellie Mine and then again switchbacking steeply into another small basin. At this point two old mining roads split off from the Wasatch Trail, one heading for Upper Lena Basin and Palmyra Peak, and the other climbing up on to Gold Hill above the Telluride Ski Area. The Wasatch Trail heads left across a small stream crossing of the West Fork of Bear Creek and up past some old mining ruins. It begins another short but steep climb, continuing up onto a broad shoulder below San Joaquin Peak. After traversing the shoulder to a creek crossing near a permanent snowfield, the trail again joins the East Fork Trail. Hikers at this point can head back down the East Fork Trail towards Telluride to make a shorter loop. Otherwise, continue on up the Wasatch Trail as it continues on up the East Fork Basin, climbing eventually to a saddle between Bear Creek and Bridal Veil Creek. The broad shoulder of Wasatch Mountain stretches north from the saddle, with a ridge leading up to the San Miguel and San Juan County Line, and to Lookout Basin to the south. From this point, hikers can continue down into Bridal Veil Basin, following mining roads through mostly private property down towards the Bridal Veil power plant. Please respect private landowners and stay on roads and trails. Just past the power plant, the road turns a corner to the east and heads down steep switchbacks above the Idarado Mine to Highway 145, which leads back to Telluride