AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Lowell Ponds Wildlife Area

Gordon Lake–Clear Creek Trail, 3 sights

15.4 mi · ▲ 214 ft · 5 hr 14 min

Gordon Lake–Clear Creek Trail, 3 sights is a 15.4-mile out-and-back in Lowell Ponds Wildlife Area near Welby, CO. The route reaches Gordon Lake. It is mostly level, with 214 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,109 – 5,273 ft17.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.83906, -104.96663
Nearest town Welby, CO
Google Maps Apple Maps

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Gordon Lake–Clear Creek Trail, 3 sights

15.4 mi · ▲ 214 ft · 5 hr 14 min

Elevation 5,108–5,272 ft

Out & Back · Lowell Ponds Wildlife Area

Trailhead: 39.83906, -104.96663

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

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading N.
  2. 150 ftTurn left onto Rotella Park path, heading W.
  3. 0.1 miTurn left, heading E.
  4. 350 ftTurn right onto Niver Canal Trail, heading E.
  5. 0.3 miBear right onto Niver Canal Trail (level crossing), heading E.
  6. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  7. 0.9 miTurn right onto Clear Creek Trail, heading S.
  8. 1.7 miTurn right, heading SW.
  9. 150 ftBear left, heading SW.
  10. 50 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  11. 0.2 miBear left onto Twin Lakes Park, heading W.
  12. 100 ftTurn right onto Clear Creek Trail, heading W.
  13. 0.5 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  15. 150 ftPass Gordon Lake.
  16. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading SW.
  17. 50 ftContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading N.
  18. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading W.
  19. 0.1 miTurn left onto Clear Creek Trail, heading SW.
  20. 2.7 miBear right onto Ralston Creek Trail, heading W.
  21. 50 ftTurn left onto Clear Creek Trail, heading W.
  22. 0.5 miReach Gordon Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  23. 0.5 miTurn right onto Ralston Creek Trail, heading SW.
  24. 50 ftBear left onto Clear Creek Trail, heading SW.
  25. 2.7 miTurn right onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading NE.
  26. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading NE.
  27. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Little Dry Creek Trail, heading E.
  28. 50 ftContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading E.
  29. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  30. 0.4 miBear right, heading E.
  31. 50 ftTurn right, heading E.
  32. 0.5 miTurn left onto Twin Lakes Park, heading NE.
  33. 50 ftBear right, heading NE.
  34. 50 ftContinue straight onto Clear Creek Trail, heading NE.
  35. 0.2 miBear left, heading E.
  36. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  37. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  38. 1.7 miTurn left, heading E.
  39. 0.9 miTurn left onto Niver Canal Trail (level crossing), heading E.
  40. 50 ftBear left onto Niver Canal Trail, heading E.
  41. 0.3 miTurn left onto Rotella Park path, heading N.
  42. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  43. 0.1 miTurn right, heading N.
  44. 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/gordon-lake-clear-creek-trail-out-back-3-sights

Trail surface

95% paved2% dirt3% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:33 AMSunset 7:25 PM

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.2 mi in (~153 min). Leave by 4:32 PM for the 7:25 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:12 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