I'm looking for a 20-25 mile loop West of Denver or Colorado Springs to hike on Memorial day weekeend. I'm driving over from flat Independence Missouri, and need some mountain air.

Tony

There's a great 24 mile loop just southwest of Denver or northwest of Colorado Springs in the Lost Creek Wilderness. Get a Trails Illustrated #105 map. Park at the Goose Creek Trailhead and hike the loop counterclockwise north on the Goose Creek Trail, west and then south on the McCurdy Park Trail, south on the Lake Park Trail and east on the Hankins Pass trail. You may need to do some postholing in the upper sections of the loop as you approach 11,000'. There are other 20-25 mile loops in the LCW at a lower elevation but this one is, IMO, the most scenic.

Edited by Dondo on 05/05/2009 14:22:45 MDT.

Thanks Dondo,

I will check it out. That sounds like exactly what I'm looking for.

Tony

lost creek is a great area definatly check it out.

Why counter clockwise?

I am heading up there this weekend and planned on going clockwise.

Thank you!

I prefer to hike it from the Hankins Pass side, but the McCurdy Park Trail is north facing and I would want to get stopped going up it rather than going down.