Horsetooth Mountain–Mill Creek Link Trail, 6 sights is a 13.3-mile out-and-back in Lory State Park near Bellvue, CO. The route reaches Horsetooth Mountain at the turnaround, 6.7 miles in. It climbs 2,363 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 58/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi5,515 – 7,248 ft · steepest grade: 25%14.0 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 40.59043, -105.18431
Nearest town Bellvue, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Horsetooth Mountain–Mill Creek Link Trail, 6 sights
13.3 mi · ▲ 2,363 ft · 5 hr 37 min
Elevation 5,515–7,248 ft
Out & Back · Lory State Park
Trailhead: 40.59043, -105.18431
Weather Sep 6: Overcast, high 87°F / low 60° · precip 10% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:28 PM
Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading E.
- 150 ftTurn right onto Lodgepole Drive, heading S.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
- 200 ftSharp left onto West Valley Trail, heading E.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Well Gulch Nature Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn right onto West Valley Trail, heading S.
- 1.1 miSharp left onto Aurthurs Rock / West Valley Trail, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn right onto South Valley Loop, heading SE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Mill Creek Link Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miTurn left onto Mill Creek Trail, heading W.
- 2.7 miBear right onto Towers Trail, heading E.
- 0.8 miTurn right onto Westridge Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miSharp left, heading SE.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Westridge Connector, heading SE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Horsetooth Rock Trail, heading SE.
- 300 ftReach Horsetooth Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Westridge Connector, heading S.
- 0.1 miSharp right, heading SW.
- 50 ftSharp right onto Westridge Trail, heading SW.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Westridge Connector Trail, heading N.
- 0.8 miBear left onto Mill Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 2.7 miTurn right onto Mill Creek Link Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miBear left onto South Valley Loop, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn left onto Aurthurs Rock / West Valley Trail, heading SE.
- 250 ftSharp right onto West Valley Trail, heading SE.
- 1.1 miTurn left onto Well Gulch Nature Trail, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto West Valley Trail, heading NW.
- 1.1 miSharp right, heading N.
- 200 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Lodgepole Drive, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
- 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 surface
99% dirt1% paved
Weather
OvercastTemperature 87°F60°
Precip10%Wind4 mphUV7Humidity44%
Hourly temperature
90°60°
Sunrise 6:33 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:28 PM
Mon
85°63°
17%
Tue
87°64°
17%
Wed
82°56°
Thu
86°59°
Fri
89°63°
Sat
87°47°
30%
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.6 mi in (~215 min). Leave by 3:33 PM for the 7:28 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:33 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Horsetooth Reservoir & Lodgepole Drive via East Valley Trail 1 mi · ▲ 81 ft
- Lodgepole Drive Viewpoint & Horsetooth Reservoir via East Valley Trail 1.2 mi · ▲ 108 ft
- Timber Trail & Well Gulch Trail Loop 4 mi · ▲ 560 ft
- South Valley Loop & West Valley Trail 4.6 mi · ▲ 166 ft
- Fire Line Viewpoint & Overlook Trail 5.7 mi · ▲ 1,112 ft
- Arthurs Rock–Arthur's Rock, 5 sights 7.7 mi · ▲ 1,461 ft
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