Nipple Wall–North Slab, 9 sights is a 10.2-mile out-and-back in Pineridge Natural Area near McClellands, CO. The route passes Dixon Reservoir, Dixon Reservoir Beach and Nipple Wall before reaching North Slab at the turnaround, 5.1 miles in. It climbs 787 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
0 mi5,082 – 5,663 ft11.1 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Fossil Creek Trail 40.52351, -105.11513
Nearest town McClellands, CO
Directions
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Nipple Wall–North Slab, 9 sights
10.2 mi · ▲ 787 ft · 3 hr 48 min
Elevation 5,083–5,663 ft
Out & Back · Pineridge Natural Area
Trailhead: Fossil Creek Trail · 40.52351, -105.11513
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:26 PM
Transit-accessible: Harmony & Silvergate stop 517 m from the trailhead · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Fossil Creek Trail, heading W.
- 1.6 miTurn left onto Foothills Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Valley Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miPass Dixon Reservoir.
- 500 ftContinue straight onto Reservoir Loop Trail, heading NW.
- 0.8 miPass Dixon Reservoir Beach.
- 0.1 miSharp right onto Foothills Trail, heading NW.
- 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Foothills Trail (Maxwell Loop), heading N.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Foothills Trail, heading NW.
- 150 ftPass North Slab.
- 400 ftBear right onto Ridgeline Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftBear left, heading W.
- 150 ftReach Nipple Wall, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 150 ftBear left onto Foothills Trail, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Foothills Trail (Maxwell Loop), heading NW.
- 0.8 miContinue straight onto Foothills Trail, heading NE.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
- 0.3 miSharp left, heading E.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto Reservoir Loop Trail, heading S.
- 0.9 miContinue straight onto Valley Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Foothills Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn right, heading S.
- 450 ftContinue straight onto Fossil Creek Trail, heading E.
- 1.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
62% dirt29% paved8% gravel1% unspecified
Weather
Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 7:26 PM
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: Harmony & Silvergate stop 517 m from the trailhead
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Fossil Creek Trail Trailhead
- Fossil Creek Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Fossil Creek Trail 3.1 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Fossil Creek Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Fossil Creek Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Fossil Creek Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 109 ft
- Fossil Creek Trail 3.2 mi · ▲ 109 ft
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