AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Niver Creek Open Space

Croke Lake–Niver Canal Trail, 3 sights

7.1 mi · ▲ 275 ft · 2 hr 30 min

Croke Lake–Niver Canal Trail, 3 sights is a 7.1-mile out-and-back in Niver Creek Open Space near Welby, CO. The route reaches Croke Lake at the turnaround, 3.5 miles in. It climbs 275 ft and is mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,145 – 5,440 ft8.7 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.83889, -104.95917
Nearest town Welby, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Croke Lake–Niver Canal Trail, 3 sights

7.1 mi · ▲ 275 ft · 2 hr 30 min

Elevation 5,143–5,440 ft

Out & Back · Niver Creek Open Space

Trailhead: 39.83889, -104.95917

Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:25 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left onto Niver Canal Trail (level crossing), heading NW.
  3. 50 ftBear left onto Niver Canal Trail, heading W.
  4. 1 miTurn right, heading W.
  5. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  6. 50 ftSharp left, heading W.
  7. 50 ftTurn right onto Niver Creek Trail, heading W.
  8. 200 ftTurn left, heading N.
  9. 0.7 miContinue straight onto Thornton Park & Ride, heading N.
  10. 50 ftTurn left onto Niver Creek Trail, heading N.
  11. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Niver Creek-88th Avenue Trail, heading N.
  12. 50 ftContinue straight onto Niver Creek Trail, heading N.
  13. 0.8 miTurn right onto Grange Hall Creek Trail, heading NW.
  14. 0.6 miPass Croke Lake.
  15. 0.3 miBear left, heading E.
  16. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  17. 150 ftReach Croke Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  18. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 0.9 miTurn left onto Niver Creek Trail, heading SW.
  20. 0.8 miContinue straight onto Niver Creek-88th Avenue Trail, heading S.
  21. 50 ftContinue straight onto Niver Creek Trail, heading S.
  22. 0.1 miTurn right onto Thornton Park & Ride, heading SE.
  23. 50 ftContinue straight onto Niver Creek Trail, heading SE.
  24. 0.7 miTurn left, heading S.
  25. 50 ftSharp right, heading S.
  26. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  27. 50 ftTurn left onto Niver Canal Trail, heading S.
  28. 1 miBear right onto Niver Canal Trail (level crossing), heading SE.
  29. 50 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  30. 50 ftArrive 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/croke-lake-croke-lake-out-back-4-sights-11-km

Trail surface

99% paved1% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 3.4 mi in (~88 min). Leave by 5:37 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:02 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Welby, Colorado