The Ten Essentials
Overview
| Wilderness One Way Length Beginning Elevation Peak Elevation Gain/Loss/Net Gain Ratings USFS Regulations Trails Illustrated Quadrangle |
Comanche Peak 5.3 miles (trailhead to Peterson Lake) 10,056 10,056 533/1,101/-568 Hikers – Moderate; Stock – Moderate National Forest > Wilderness & Travel Zone #112 Poudre River, Cameron Pass Chambers Lake, Comanche Peak |
Location
Refer to Trap Park directions. Continue on up the Long Draw Road (FDR-156) for about another 5.8 miles, until you get to the RMNP Corral Creek ranger cabin, just before crossing Corral Creek. The trailhead is directly across the road from the cabin. Facilities are located at Long Draw Campground, another 0.3 mile up the road. Stock: Poor footing, rocky. No parking for stock trailers at either trailhead.
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GPS Coordinates |
N40°31.408’ W105°44.986’ Map N40°32.610’ W105°45.591’ N40°32.207’ W105°45.287’ N40°32.004’ W105°45.200’ N40°31.935’ W105°45.195’ N40°32.948’ W105°46.540’ N40°33.185’ W105°46.861’ |
Description
About 0.3 mile from the Corral Creek trailhead you enter the Comanche Peak Wilderness and the Big South Travel Zone. Wilderness and Travel Zone regulations apply to both the Corral Creek and the Upper Big South trails. Continue along the Corral Creek Trail for another 1 mile to the junction of the Big South Trail coming up the Poudre River from the north.
At this point, you may want to check out the short section of trail to the south (right), which leads to a footbridge at the RMNP boundary. (This is the start of the Poudre River Trail. This trail works its way up the Poudre River to the junction of Mummy Pass Trail, heading up to the east along Hague Creek. RMNP is not a PWV patrol area, but it’s a great hike up to Mirror Lake, sitting in a cirque on the north boundary of RMNP.)
From the junction of the Corral Creek and Big South trails, hike down the Upper Big South Trail along the Poudre River for 3.3 miles to a trail junction that leads to Peterson Lake. There are four designated campsites located in this part of the Travel Zone, numbered 17 through 20 (see the Big South Trail patrol). As in all Travel Zones, camping is restricted to designated sites; wood fires are prohibited and only self-contained chemical stoves may be used. This hike will give you some great views of the Poudre River and the fishing can be excellent. At the junction, go left, to the end of the trail at the southeast end of Peterson Lake. This last 0.75 mile of the trail heading up toward Peterson Lake climbs about 300 feet. There is a trailhead sign here, at the end of the high-clearance, four-wheel-drive Peterson Lake Road.
If you have an appropriate vehicle, you can reverse the route described above by starting the hike from the trailhead just southeast of Peterson Lake and hiking down to the Upper Big South Trail and then uphill to the Corral Creek trailhead.
