Coney Creek Trail
Description:
The
Coney Creek Trail begins on the Beaver Creek Trail about .2 miles from the
trailhead and climbs for 2.26 miles from an elevation of 9,840 feet to 10,630
feet at Coney Lake. It winds its way through open and forested areas until
crossing Coney Creek. From here it becomes wider (perhaps the remnant of an
old road) and climbs through a spruce forest. The trail is very rocky on slopes
where water erosion has taken place. After a few tenths of a mile it levels
off and again crosses Coney Creek. The stream is shallow and easy to cross.
The trail makes an "S" shaped track around some meadows and ponds
and then climbs the west slope of the valley through some wet areas. Here
it begins a steep climb up over a saddle to Coney Lake.
Coney
Lake sits in a valley surrounded by talus slopes and high peaks. You can see
Mt. Audubon, Paiute Peak, Pawnee Peak, and Mt. Toll at the southern end of
the valley. The lake and surrounding area get their names from the inhabitants
of the rocky slopes. Coneys or pikas are small rodents resembling a miniature
rabbit. It can be quite windy around the lake as evidenced by the low growing
spruce trees of the Krumholtz zone ( area where vegetation is stunted due
to exposure to high winds). Upper Coney Lake is about a mile upstream from
Coney Lake. There is no maintained trail to the upper lake. Both lakes contain
cutthroat trout.
The
trail is located in the Coney Creek Travel Zone of the Indian Peaks Wilderness.
Campsites are limited around Coney Lake and no open campfires are permitted.
Day use of the trail is low while overnight use is moderate. Hiking on the
trail is of moderate difficulty.
Features:
| Length: |
2.3 miles (3.6 kilometers) |
| Elevation Range: |
9,840' - 10,633' |
| Elevation change: |
790 feet |
| Season: |
July 1 - Sept 15 |
| Difficulty: |
Moderate |
| Use: |
Low - Moderate |
| USGS maps: |
Allenspark, Ward |
| Trailheads: |
Coney Flats |
| Restrictions: |
Pets must be on a leash, no campfires |
| Suitable for mountain bikes: |
No (no bicycles in wilderness) |
| Suitable for horses: |
Yes |
Vicinity Map
Altitude Profile
Other Nearby Resources:
Directions:
Take
Highway 7 west from Lyons approximately 12 miles or Highway 7 south from Estes
Park about 18 miles to Highway 72. Turn south on 72 and travel approximately
seven miles to County Road 96. Take County Road 96 west for about 2.5 miles
to Beaver Reservoir. Hike or drive the rough 4WD road about four miles to the
Coney Flats Trailhead.
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