AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Hidden Lake & Grindstone Quarry Trail

7.8 mi · ▲ 1,133 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Hidden Lake & Grindstone Quarry Trail is a 7.8-mile out-and-back near Altona, CO. The route reaches Hidden Lake at the turnaround, 3.7 miles in. It climbs 1,133 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 34/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi5,706 – 6,802 ft · steepest grade: 15%8.1 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Schoolhouse Loop 40.13537, -105.29829
Nearest town Altona, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Hidden Lake & Grindstone Quarry Trail

7.8 mi · ▲ 1,133 ft · 3 hr 10 min

Elevation 5,705–6,801 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Schoolhouse Loop · 40.13537, -105.29829

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 90°F / low 59° · precip 6% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:30 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Schoolhouse Loop, heading N.
  2. 150 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  3. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  4. 1.4 miContinue straight onto Lichen Loop Trail, heading N.
  5. 0.4 miBear left onto Lichen Loop, heading NE.
  6. 250 ftBear right onto Wapiti Trail, heading NW.
  7. 0.4 miBear left, heading NW.
  8. 1.3 miBear left, heading N.
  9. 250 ftPass Hidden Lake.
  10. 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  11. 0.1 miSharp left, heading NW.
  12. 250 ftReach Hidden Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  13. 250 ftSharp right, heading NW.
  14. 0.1 miTurn left, heading SW.
  15. 0.1 miBear right, heading SE.
  16. 1.7 miBear left onto Lichen Loop, heading SW.
  17. 250 ftBear right onto Lichen Loop Trail, heading SW.
  18. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Grindstone Quarry Trail, heading S.
  19. 1.4 miSharp right, heading NW.
  20. 50 ftTurn left onto Schoolhouse Loop, heading NW.
  21. 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/hidden-lake-hidden-lake-out-back-3-lakes-via-grindstone-quarry-trail

Trail surface

84% dirt9% gravel7% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 90°F59°
Feels like79°Precip6%Wind6 mphUV7Humidity18%
Hourly temperature
90°55°
Sunrise 6:33 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:30 PM
Sat 90°68°
Sun 92°63° 24%
Mon 88°66° 31%
Tue 87°62° 20%
Wed 85°57° 28%
Thu 92°60° 32%

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

Hikes near Altona, Colorado