Entering Brainard Lake Campground Area in Indian Peaks - panoramio.jpg
jonathan c. wheeler · CC BY-SA 3.0

James Basin Road–South Saint Vrain Trail, 4 sights is a 9.6-mile out-and-back in Indian Peaks Wilderness near Ward, CO. It climbs 1,201 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 55/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi9,334 – 10,335 ft · steepest grade: 16%9.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp 40.08049, -105.56728
Nearest town Ward, CO

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

James Basin Road–South Saint Vrain Trail, 4 sights

9.6 mi · ▲ 1,201 ft · 3 hr 48 min

Elevation 9,333–10,334 ft

Out & Back · Indian Peaks Wilderness

Trailhead: Pawnee Campground Loop B - Tent Camp · 40.08049, -105.56728

Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:31 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Toilets at the trailhead · Drinking water at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NW.
  2. 200 ftSharp right onto Summer Snowshoe, heading E.
  3. 0.5 miSharp left onto Cuttoff to Road, heading SE.
  4. 450 ftTurn left onto Waldrop Trail, heading N.
  5. 0.5 miTurn right onto South Saint Vrain, heading NW.
  6. 1.9 miTurn left onto Sourdough Trail, heading E.
  7. 50 ftBear right onto South Saint Vrain Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.6 miTurn left onto James Basin Road, heading SE.
  9. 1.2 miReach South Saint Vrain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 1.2 miTurn right onto South Saint Vrain Trail, heading NW.
  11. 0.6 miBear left onto Sourdough Trail, heading W.
  12. 50 ftTurn right onto South Saint Vrain, heading W.
  13. 1.9 miTurn left onto Waldrop Trail, heading SW.
  14. 0.5 miTurn right onto Cuttoff to Road, heading SE.
  15. 500 ftSharp right onto Summer Snowshoe, heading S.
  16. 0.5 miSharp left, heading NW.
  17. 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

83% dirt17% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:34 AMSunset 7:31 PM

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Drinking water at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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