AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Big Dry Creek Open Space

Stratford Lake–Bull Reservoir, 3 lakes

9.1 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 3 hr 7 min

Stratford Lake–Bull Reservoir, 3 lakes is a 9.1-mile out-and-back in Big Dry Creek Open Space near Eastlake, CO. The route passes Bull Reservoir, Bull Reservoir, Metzger Ponds and Stratford Lake before reaching Stratford lake at the turnaround, 4.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 165 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,161 – 5,282 ft10.0 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.92854, -104.98342
Nearest town Eastlake, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Stratford Lake–Bull Reservoir, 3 lakes

9.1 mi · ▲ 165 ft · 3 hr 7 min

Elevation 5,162–5,281 ft

Out & Back · Big Dry Creek Open Space

Trailhead: 39.92854, -104.98342

Weather Sep 6: Overcast, high 92°F / low 62° · precip 13% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:27 PM

Transit-accessible: stop 566 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading W.
  2. 0.3 miTurn right, heading W.
  3. 50 ftContinue straight onto I-25 Trail, heading W.
  4. 0.5 miTurn left onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading W.
  5. 0.9 miPass Bull Reservoir.
  6. 0.3 miPass Bull Reservoir.
  7. 250 ftContinue straight onto Big Dry Creek Trail Access, heading W.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  9. 500 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  10. 300 ftBear right, heading SW.
  11. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  12. 150 ftBear left onto Home Farm Trail, heading S.
  13. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  14. 50 ftSharp left, heading S.
  15. 0.1 miTurn left onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading SW.
  16. 0.4 miBear right, heading S.
  17. 0.7 miPass Metzger Ponds.
  18. 0.8 miTurn left, heading SW.
  19. 350 ftPass Stratford lake.
  20. 0.2 miReach Stratford Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  21. 2.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
  22. 0.1 miSharp right, heading NE.
  23. 50 ftSharp left onto Home Farm Trail, heading NE.
  24. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  25. 150 ftBear left, heading NE.
  26. 250 ftBear left, heading E.
  27. 350 ftTurn right, heading N.
  28. 450 ftTurn right onto Big Dry Creek Trail Access, heading E.
  29. 100 ftContinue straight onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading E.
  30. 1.2 miTurn right onto I-25 Trail, heading E.
  31. 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
  32. 0.1 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/bull-reservoir-stratford-lake-out-back-9-lakes-19-km-97be

Trail surface

86% paved7% dirt1% gravel6% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 92°F62°
Precip13%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity53%
Hourly temperature
95°60°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:27 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 (~5 min). Leave by 7:02 PM for the 7:27 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:47 PM — 8 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: stop 566 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Eastlake, Colorado