Pagosa Springs, CO – Located in the Rio Grande National Forest, this high alpine hike travels along the Continental Divide Trail (CDT # 813) from Elwood Pass, elevation 11,650 feet. The trail crosses alpine meadows and travels between short gnarled trees before gaining a ridge for top of the world views. Alpine flowers were beginning to bloom when we hiked here in early June.
Globe flower
Mountain Parsley
Marsh Marigold
The Continental Divide Trail is marked periodically with this sign
We headed south on the CDT from Elwood Pass. In the early season, snow lingers along the CDT. There are boggy and wet sections due to snow melt. As we climbed, we also had to cross numerous snow fields enroute to our turnoff at Prospect Creek Trail. Mike climbed to the summit of Long Trek Mountain (12,866 feet) before we headed back down to Forest Service Road # 380 and returned via the road to Elwood Pass. This route is in full sun for the majority of the hike. Sun protection is a must.
View of Long Trek Mountain from near Elwood Pass
Snow melt creates small ponds
Mule deer we spotted on our hike
Snowfields still covered parts of the trail
Along the CDT south from Elwood Pass
Snow lingers into June along the CDT
View from the CDT Trail
View of South Mountain from the trail
360 degree views of mountains near Elwood Pass
Another view looking east
CDT Trail
Another view of along the CDT
After completing a hike from Elwood Pass, you can take a scenic drive by completing a loop through the Rio Grande National Forest to Platoro, Colorado and Chama, New Mexico before returning to Pagosa Springs via Highway 84.
To reach Elwood Pass, we traveled 32 miles east of Pagosa Springs on Highway 160 (over Wolf Creek Pass) to Park Creek Road aka FS 380 in the Rio Grande National Forest. Turn right onto Park Creek Road and travel 18.2 miles on the gravel road, which has washboards and potholes. At 18.2 miles, turn right to reach the CDT at Elwood Pass. Alternately, there is a 4WD road that climbs to Elwood Pass from the East Fork Road located 12 miles east of Pagosa Springs off of Highway 160. This route includes several stream crossings which could be sketchy with heavy snow melt/rain and a section of serious 4WD road that requires high clearance. The 4WD section has been described as slow and tedious in a Jeep. We opted for the longer, faster route in order to start hiking earlier in the day.
We stayed at Wolf Creek Class A Motorcoach Resort while visiting Pagosa Springs. We love hiking on sections of the CDT and have previously hiked northbound at nearby Wolf Creek Pass which we have written about in a separate post. Other hiking we have completed in the Pagosa Springs region includes: a number of trails into the Weminuche Wilderness; Piedra River and Little Blanco Trails; the Reservoir Hill/Turkey Springs trail systems; and Treasure Falls/Treasure Mountain areas. If you are looking for another scenic route, the Plumtaw/Piedra/Williams Creek Scenic Drive showcases the region’s mountains, valleys and the Piedra River.
