| 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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