| Traveling
clockwise on the loop from Black Lake along the Middle Ute Creek
Trail, you descend through meadows at a moderate to steep grade. You
will cross several creeks and reach the East Ute Creek Trail
junction at .9 miles.
Inner Loop: At the
junction with the East Ute Creek Trail, continue straight on the
Middle Ute Creek Trail, passing the turnoff for Ute Lake and on to
Middle Ute Lake at mile 3. The Continental Divide Trail (CDT)
junction is at mile 5.2, and the trail will climb down rocky slopes
south of West Ute Lake. The CDT and West Ute Creek Trail junction is
at mile 8.2, and the Middle Ute Creek and West Ute Creek Trail
junction at 12.6
Outer Loop: This loop
travels at higher elevations for a longer stretch on the CDT,
passing both Ute Lake and Twin Lakes. The East Ute Creek Trail
connects to the CDT at mile 10.2, then on the CDT for another 3.5
miles to Ute Lake, and on to Twin Lakes at mile 15. Between Middle
Ute and Twin Lakes, the trail is not well defined, with heavy willow
growth and boggy areas. From Twin Lakes, continue on the CDT 3.5
miles to Middle Ute Lake and .3 miles past the lake to the Middle
Ute Creek Trail junction. It is 3.6 miles farther to the Middle Ute
Creek and West Ute Creek Trail junction and back to Black Lake.
To reach Ute Creek Loop from Creede, travel southwest along Colorado
149 for 19 miles and turn left onto Rio Grande Reservoir Road (FDR 520).
Continue along FDR 520 for 17 miles to the Ute Creek Trailhead. Black Lake
is at the junction with the Ute Creek Loop, 6.5 miles up the trail from
the Ute Creek trailhead.
Ute Creek Loop may also be reached by either the Vallecito Creek Trail
or the Pine River Trail to Flint Creek Trail. The trail north to the
Continental Divide Trail is between Flint Lakes and Rock Lake.
Archuleta County Colorado
Hinsdale County Colorado
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