Cascade Creek Trail

View of Cascade Creek from the trail.

Cascade Creek is one of my favorite hikes so far in the San Juans. It is easy to get to, offers beautiful scenery but with gently rolling terrain that makes it accessible to hikers of all abilities.  While I was hiking the trail, I felt like I was in Oregon hiking the coastal range because of how lush and green the vegetation was along the trail, with a copious amount of wildflowers and towering pine trees.

Flume from the old Yeager Lumber Mill.

Directions: To get to Cascade Creek, head north out of downtown Durango on Main Ave., which then becomes Highway 550. Stay on 550 for approximately 30 miles where you will pass the entrance to Durango Mountain Resort. From here travel, about 2.3 miles. Just after passing Cascade Village, which will be on your left, 550 will make a tight, hairpin turn to the right.

About 3/4 way through this turn, the guardrail will end and there is a dirt road on your left.

Hiking through a meadow.

Turn onto this dirt road, which provides access to Cascade Creek. The road is fairly smooth smooth and easily traveled by any car.  After about a 3/4 of a mile, you will come across a parking lot on your left. It is right before a bridge, which goes over a flume from an abandoned lumber mill. Unless you have a capable 4WD or AWD vehicle, park here as the road gets very rough. If you do, you can drive another mile to the trailhead, where there is additional parking. You are at the trailhead when you reach a metal gate blocking the road.

Hiking through the pines.

The Trail: Pass through the gate and travel up the road a few hundred feet, the trail then peels off to the left through a small meadow crossing a shallow rocky stream.  In about a 1/4 of a mile, the trail splits. If you head to the right - the heavier traveled trail, you will hike along the eastern side of Cascade Creek. I recommend taking the road less traveled, and head left and then take another sharp left after a few yards. This will bring you to the banks of Cascade Creek. Change into your water shoes (or go barefoot) and ford the stream.

Cascade Creek.

When you cross over, head to the right and upstream. The trail stays mostly in eye-shot but always in earshot of Cascade Creek. You will hike through towering pine trees interspersed with high mountain meadows. The trail does have a few climbs but nothing too difficult or strenuous. You will cross a number of streams. After about 3.5 miles from the trailhead, you will cross Graysill Creek. The trail then begins to climb. About half way up this climb, look for a small trail that goes off to the right.

Beautiful waterfall on Cascade Creek.

Following this trail will take you to an overlook for a beautiful waterfall on Cascade Creek. Head back the trail and continue on a bit longer to where the trail splits again. To the left is the Graysill trail, which climbs the ridge to the west and joins the Colorado Trail. The Cascade Creek trail veers to the right and heads down to another crossing of Cascade Creek. This is where I turned around and headed back.

If you cross the creek,
the trail heads north into the headwaters of Cascade Creek passing a number of waterfalls before it ends at the Colorado Trail. My out and back hike took about 3 hours and the total distance was just under 9 miles.

Looking north towards the headwaters of Cascade Creek.

Map of hike.

Elevation profile.

Camping in Upper Hermosa Creek

Our campsite.

Every year I force my family to go camping with me for Father's Day weekend.  This year we went camping in the Upper Hermosa Creek area, which is an easily accessible area to camp with a back-country feel.  However, it is a very popular camping area and not a place to go if you are seeking seclusion.  We had two other families nearby and we were pretty far up the valley.

Harris Ranch area.

Directions: From Durango, head north approximately 30 miles on Highway 550 to Durango Mountain Resort (fka Purgatory). Turn left into the Resort entrance and follow the main road looking for the signs pointing to Hermosa Park Road, which will be on your right.  Follow Hermosa Park Road, which quickly turns into a dirt road and begins to climb.  The road is well maintained and easily traveled by the average passenger car.  The road is also known as Forest Service Road 578 and it will fork once or twice prior to descending into the Harris Ranch area.

Playing in the creek.

Keep following the signs to Sig Creek Campground and Upper Hermosa Creek Campground and you will head in the right direction.  After about 4.5 miles heading mostly due west, you will pass the Upper Hermosa Creek Campground and the upper trailhead for the Hermosa Creek Trail, which enters one of the largest unprotected roadless areas in Colorado. The road will curve and begin heading north along the Upper Hermosa Creek.  Soon you will come across numerous pull-outs along the creek that make for great camping sites.  We drove another 2 3/4 miles up the road and found a more isolated spot right on the creek.  Fair warning, once you pass the intersection of Forest Road 578 and 550, the road becomes substantially rougher and is only suitable for 4-wheel drive vehicles.

Old cabin at the Graysill Mine.

Pick a spot along the road and have a great time camping.  Our site had ample shade due to numerous large pine trees and had the sounds of a babbling brook just a stone's throw from our tent.  There are no services up here and as a result, you will need to bring in your own water.  Please make sure to pack out your trash.  My kids had a great time exploring the creek and throwing rocks in the water.

Bugs were not a major problem but the mosquitoes can be sneaky. Definitely bring repellent but the mosquitoes were not swarming when we were there.  At night, the stars were spectacular and we saw several satellites travel across the night sky.

High alpine lake near Bolam Pass.

The next day, we drove up Forest Road 587 to Bolam Pass, where the Graysill Mine was located. Some of the uranium from this mine was used in the first atomic bombs built by the United States.  There are still remnants of the mine camp standing, including one intact cabin.

As you continue on the road, you will pass two beautiful high alpine lakes and climb to the top of Bolam Pass, which offers beautiful views of Lizard Head, Mount Wilson and the Tin Basin.

We stopped for lunch and enjoyed watching the ground squirrels and pika scrambling through the boulder field below the road.

Mt. Wilson and Lizard Head from Bolam Pass through a passing rain storm.

Ground squirrel.

Pika!