The Ten Essentials
Overview
| Wilderness One Way Length Beginning Elevation Peak Elevation Gain/Loss/Net Gain Ratings USFS Regulations Trails Illustrated Quadrangle |
None 1.1 miles (trailhead to jct. with Molly Lake Trail) 8,103 8,282 13/191/-178 Hikers – Very Easy; Stock Riders – Very Easy National Forest #111 Red Feather Lakes, Glendevey Red Feather Lakes |
Location
From Ted’s Place, follow US-287 north for 10.5 miles to the “forks” at Livermore. Turn left onto the Red Feather Lakes Road, CR-74E. At mile marker 20.8 you will see a trailhead and gravel parking lot on the right (north). This is the trailhead for the Mt. Margaret Trail. Just across the road (south side) is a small metal gate and the trailhead for the Lady Moon Trail. There are no facilities or water. Trailer parking is available.
If you want a longer hike, you can hike both the Lady Moon and Molly Lake trails, and hike them either by starting at the Lady Moon trailhead (described above) or at the Molly Lake trailhead (off of CR-162). If you hike both trails, the distance will be 4.8 miles from trailhead to trailhead, one way. Because both trails pass through relatively flat country, doing both (one way) on the same day is still an easy and relatively short hike.
| GPS Coordinates Trailhead Jct. Molly Lake Trail |
N40°46.756’ W105°32.249’ Map N40°45.913’ W105°32.640’ |
Description
This trail involves a short, gentle hike through open, dry ponderosa pine forest and a large, attractive meadow/prairie (Lady Moon Meadow). There are numerous quaking aspen trees and several small granite outcrops along the trail, as well as several larger granite outcrops and promontories about 0.5 mile to the east and west of the trail. There are numerous shrubs such as wax currant, shrubby cinquefoil, and Woods’ rose as well as many species of wildflowers along the trail, both in the open forest and in the meadow. The north end of the Lady Moon Trail passes through open ponderosa pine and quaking aspen for about 0.4 mile and then drops down into, and crosses, Lady Moon meadow. Early in the spring, or after a substantial rain, the small intermittent stream flowing through this meadow and the lowest portion of the meadow itself can be challenging to cross without getting a little muddy. The trail continues south another 0.7 mile from Lady Moon meadow through open ponderosa pine forest until it reaches its end at a junction with two other trails (the west end of the Molly Lake Trail and the north end of a trail leading south to CR-68C and the Boy Scout camp). Although there are at least two wooden USFS signs along this trail labeling it as the “Molly Lake Trail," you are walking along the Lady Moon Trail.
Note that Lady Moon Lake itself is located on private property just east of the USFS boundary between the two most northerly of the promontories (8,442 ft and 8,722 ft elevation) that are about 0.5 mile due east of the Lady Moon Trail.
