AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Big Dry Creek Open Space

Brunner Reservoir–Bull Reservoir, 8 sights

12.4 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 4 hr 14 min

Brunner Reservoir–Bull Reservoir, 8 sights is a 12.4-mile out-and-back in Big Dry Creek Open Space near Eastlake, CO. The route passes Bull Reservoir, Bull Reservoir and Metzger Ponds before reaching Brunner Reservoir at the turnaround, 6.2 miles in. It is mostly level, with 188 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,154 – 5,328 ft14.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.93123, -104.98116
Nearest town Eastlake, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Brunner Reservoir–Bull Reservoir, 8 sights

12.4 mi · ▲ 188 ft · 4 hr 14 min

Elevation 5,155–5,327 ft

Out & Back · Big Dry Creek Open Space

Trailhead: 39.93123, -104.98116

Weather Sep 6: Overcast, high 92°F / low 62° · precip 13% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Transit-accessible: stop 472 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Thorncreek Trail, heading N.
  3. 0.3 miContinue straight onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading N.
  4. 1.1 miPass Bull Reservoir.
  5. 0.3 miPass Bull Reservoir.
  6. 350 ftContinue straight onto Big Dry Creek Trail Access, heading W.
  7. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  8. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  9. 350 ftBear right, heading S.
  10. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  11. 150 ftBear left onto Home Farm Trail, heading SW.
  12. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  13. 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
  14. 0.1 miTurn left onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading S.
  15. 0.4 miBear right, heading NW.
  16. 0.7 miPass Metzger Ponds.
  17. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  18. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  19. 0.6 miTurn right, heading W.
  20. 400 ftBear left, heading W.
  21. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  22. 250 ftTurn right onto Country Vista Park, heading W.
  23. 0.4 miSharp left, heading NW.
  24. 0.5 miTurn left onto Southeast Community Loop Trail, heading E.
  25. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Highland Park, heading W.
  26. 0.4 miPass Brunner Reservoir.
  27. 0.2 miTurn right, heading W.
  28. 100 ftTurn right, heading W.
  29. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  30. 150 ftReach Brunner Reservoir, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  31. 150 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  32. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  33. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Southeast Community Loop Trail, heading W.
  34. 450 ftTurn right onto Country Vista Park, heading E.
  35. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  36. 0.5 miTurn left, heading SE.
  37. 250 ftBear right, heading E.
  38. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  39. 450 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  40. 0.6 miTurn right, heading S.
  41. 0.3 miTurn left onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading E.
  42. 1.2 miTurn right, heading E.
  43. 0.1 miSharp right, heading E.
  44. 50 ftSharp left onto Home Farm Trail, heading E.
  45. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  46. 150 ftBear left, heading E.
  47. 250 ftBear left, heading NE.
  48. 300 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  49. 500 ftTurn right onto Big Dry Creek Trail Access, heading N.
  50. 50 ftContinue straight onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading N.
  51. 1.4 miContinue straight onto Thorncreek Trail, heading NE.
  52. 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/brunner-reservoir-bull-reservoir-out-back-10-sights-23-km-e4c9

Trail surface

85% paved3% dirt1% gravel11% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 92°F62°
Precip13%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity53%
Hourly temperature
95°60°
Sunrise 6:33 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:25 PM
Mon 86°61° 25%
Tue 89°71° 20%
Wed 86°65°
Thu 91°68°
Fri 93°71°
Sat 91°51° 31%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 7:00 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:45 PM — 7 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 472 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Eastlake, Colorado