Copper Mountain Road–Elk Alley, 5 sights
10 mi · ▲ 2,132 ft · 4 hr 24 min
Copper Mountain Road–Elk Alley, 5 sights is a 10-mile out-and-back near Wheeler Junction, CO. It climbs 2,132 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade. It scores 47/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Copper Mountain Road–Elk Alley, 5 sights
10 mi · ▲ 2,132 ft · 4 hr 24 min
Elevation 9,895–12,029 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: A Road · 39.49885, -106.16501
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 68°F / low 41° · precip 7% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:37 AM · sunset 7:33 PM
Transit-accessible: Passage Point stop 724 m from the trailhead
- Start on A Road, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear left onto Guller Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Copper Mountain Road, heading SE.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Red Tail, heading S.
- 150 ftBear left onto Elk Alley, heading W.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Lower Fawn-Tastic, heading SW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Elk Alley, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Copper Mountain Road, heading SW.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Upper Fawn-Tastic, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Blue Oso, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Upper Fawn-Tastic, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Copper Mountain Road, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Gopher It, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Ski Area Access, heading E.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Gopher It, heading E.
- 1.2 miTurn right onto Copper Mountain Road, heading NE.
- 2 miReach Copper Mountain Road, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 2 miTurn left onto Gopher It, heading SW.
- 1.2 miTurn left onto Ski Area Access, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Gopher It, heading N.
- 0.4 miBear left onto Copper Mountain Road, heading W.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto Upper Fawn-Tastic, heading W.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Blue Oso, heading W.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto Upper Fawn-Tastic, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Copper Mountain Road, heading NE.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Elk Alley, heading NW.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Lower Fawn-Tastic, heading NW.
- 50 ftBear left onto Elk Alley, heading NW.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Red Tail, heading W.
- 150 ftSharp left onto Copper Mountain Road, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Guller Creek Trail, heading E.
- 150 ftBear right onto A Road, heading E.
- 350 ftArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 4.2 mi in (~153 min). Leave by 4:39 PM for the 7:33 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Passage Point stop 724 m from the trailhead
More from A Road Trailhead
- 2 Bucks–Copper Mountain Road, 6 sights 3.9 mi · ▲ 902 ft
- Tenmile Recpath via Gopher It 6 mi · ▲ 476 ft
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