Dad Clark Natural Area

Highlands Point–Brandin' Iron Cutoff Loop, 5 sights

2.6 mi · ▲ 273 ft · 1 hr

Highlands Point–Brandin' Iron Cutoff Loop, 5 sights is a 2.6-mile loop in Dad Clark Natural Area near Kistler Park, CO. The route reaches Highlands Point. It climbs 273 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 15/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi6,040 – 6,270 ft2.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.51811, -104.95922
Nearest town Kistler Park, CO

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Highlands Point–Brandin' Iron Cutoff Loop, 5 sights

2.6 mi · ▲ 273 ft · 1 hr

Elevation 6,039–6,270 ft

Loop · Dad Clark Natural Area

Trailhead: 39.51811, -104.95922

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 88°F / low 63° · precip 9% · wind 18 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:28 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  3. 50 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  4. 50 ftSharp left, heading N.
  5. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  6. 450 ftSharp left onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading W.
  7. 0.1 miTurn right onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course\, heading SW.
  8. 150 ftTurn left onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading W.
  9. 450 ftSharp left, heading W.
  10. 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading S.
  12. 0.3 miTurn right onto Outlaw, heading S.
  13. 100 ftReach Highlands Point, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  14. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Longhorn Ledge, heading S.
  15. 0.4 miTurn left onto Brandin' Iron Cutoff, heading NE.
  16. 100 ftContinue straight onto Longhorn Ledge, heading N.
  17. 0.3 miPass Highlands Point.
  18. 50 ftSharp left onto Cowboy Up, heading S.
  19. 0.2 miSharp left onto East/West Regional Trail, heading NW.
  20. 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
  21. 50 ftTurn right onto Dad Clark Trail, heading NW.
  22. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NW.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  24. 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  25. 350 ftTurn left, heading W.
  26. 50 ftThe loop closes back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

76% dirt7% paved17% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 88°F63°
Feels like79°Precip9%Wind18 mphUV7Humidity25%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
90°60°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:28 PM
Sat 87°65°
Sun 90°59° 32%
Mon 88°67° 29%
Tue 87°59° 34%
Wed 85°58° 36%
Thu 89°60° 32%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.2 mi in (~6 min). Leave by 7:02 PM for the 7:28 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:49 PM — 6 min before dark.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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