The Ten Essentials
Overview
The Flowers Trail begins at Old Flowers Road near Jacks Gulch Campground and terminates at the Big South Trail. Covering almost 18 miles, the Flowers Trail connects with the Little Beaver Creek, Browns Lake, Beaver Creek, Zimmerman (South), Mirror Lake, and Big South trails.
| Wilderness One Way Length Beginning Elevation Peak Elevation Gain/Loss/Net Gain Ratings USFS Regulations Trails Illustrated Quadrangle |
Comanche Peak 17.9 miles (trailhead to junction with Big South Trail) 8,184 11,365 4,080/2,916/+1,164 Hikers – Strenuous; Stock – Challenging National Forest > Wilderness & Travel Zone #112 Poudre River, Cameron Pass Kinikinik, Comanche Peak, Chambers Lake, Rustic |
Location
Poudre Canyon. Drive 26.5 miles from Ted’s Place to the Pingree Park Road (at mm 96.1), cross the Cache La Poudre River, and drive 6.3 miles to Jacks Gulch Campground. Drive through the campground; the trailhead is located at the west end. Facilities & parking for both hikers and horse trailers available at campground.
| GPS Coordinates Trailhead near Jacks Gulch Campground Jct. Little Beaver Creek Trail Jct. Browns Lake Trail Jct. Beaver Creek Trail Jct. Zimmerman (South) Trail Jct. Mirror Lake Trail Jct. Big South Trail |
N40°38.065’ W105°31.918’ Map N40°38.317’ W105°36.634’ N40°36.781’ W105°40.871’ N40°35.637’ W105°43.099’ N40°35.590’ W105°43.261’ N40°34.737’ W105°44.844’ N40°33.479’ W105°46.805’ |
Description
As you head west from Jacks Gulch Campground, you will frequently encounter mountain bikers, hikers, dogs, and vehicles for the first 3.5 miles, until you reach the Comanche Peak Wilderness boundary. Reliable water sources can be found at Bedsprings Spring and at the Little Beaver Creek crossing at Beaver Park. From that crossing, the trail climbs steeply for the next 4.5 miles before leveling out. You will enter the Browns Lake Travel Zone a short distance later and intersect the Browns Lake Trail at the old sheepherder’s cabin, which has a reliable water source. The Travel Zone has 12 designated campsites. As you continue west through the tundra, you will leave the Browns Lake Travel Zone. After 2 miles or so you will come to the junction with the Beaver Creek Trail. This would be a good area to look for a campsite. If you are on horseback, you could take the Brackenbury Cabin Trail and the Mirror Lake Trail as far as the RMNP boundary. This is a great ride, offering diverse landscape and beautiful alpine meadows, which are rich with wildflowers. This trail is used mostly by horse packers or as a connecting trail by hikers between the Browns Lake and Mirror Lake trails.
Note: If you are interested in looking for the B-17 crash site, here is some information that might be helpful. The site is located along the Flowers Trail about 2.75 miles east of the Browns Lake Trail junction. (GPS coordinates N40°36.738’ W105°37.997’.) The crash site is about 0.15 mile east of the Flowers Trail at the point where it turns sharply to the northeast (when traveling from the Browns Lake Trail junction at N40°36.741´ W105°38.161´). It is just below and northeast of a 10,875-foot ridge, at 10,750 feet.
