Lower Backside–Lower Sidewinder, 8 sights
10 mi · ▲ 2,085 ft · 4 hr 23 min
Lower Backside–Lower Sidewinder, 8 sights is a 10-mile out-and-back near Elkdale, CO. It climbs 2,085 ft, with sections as steep as 19% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 46/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Lower Backside–Lower Sidewinder, 8 sights
10 mi · ▲ 2,085 ft · 4 hr 23 min
Elevation 8,330–9,368 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: 40.04466, -105.90591
Weather Sep 6: sunrise 6:37 AM · sunset 7:29 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
- 150 ftTurn left onto Ballroom Black, heading SE.
- 350 ftBear right, heading SE.
- 400 ftTurn left onto Cheese-It, heading SE.
- 200 ftContinue straight onto Ashy Larry, heading S.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Cheese-It, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn right onto Tron, heading S.
- 350 ftContinue straight onto Moga's Mile, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right onto Silky Johnson, heading SE.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Bee Line, heading E.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Vista Ridge, heading E.
- 0.4 miTurn right onto Vista Ridge Flow, heading SW.
- 0.9 miTurn right onto Wade's World, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Two Stroke, heading SW.
- 250 ftTurn right onto Out of Gas, heading NW.
- 2.1 miBear left onto Lower Backside, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right onto Out of Gas, heading N.
- 0.3 miReach Moga's Mile, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miBear left onto Lower Backside, heading SE.
- 50 ftBear right onto Out of Gas, heading SE.
- 2.1 miTurn left onto Two Stroke, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Wade's World, heading N.
- 0.4 miTurn left, heading N.
- 150 ftContinue straight onto Vista Ridge Flow, heading NE.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto Vista Ridge, heading NE.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Bee Line, heading NE.
- 250 ftContinue straight onto Silky Johnson, heading NE.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Moga's Mile, heading NE.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Tron, heading NE.
- 350 ftTurn left onto Cheese-It, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Ashy Larry, heading NE.
- 0.2 miContinue straight onto Cheese-It, heading W.
- 200 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 400 ftBear left onto Ballroom Black, heading NW.
- 350 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 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
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~42 min). Leave by 6:27 PM for the 7:29 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:05 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- East Peak–Bucnasty, 7 sights 1.7 mi · ▲ 819 ft
- Bee Line–Moga's Mile, 3 sights 1.9 mi · ▲ 769 ft
- Tron via Drifter 1.9 mi · ▲ 763 ft
- Cheese-It 1.9 mi · ▲ 771 ft
- Ike's Trail & Strawberry Jam 2 mi · ▲ 335 ft
- Fraser to Granby Trail 2.2 mi · ▲ 241 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Elkdale, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Elkdale, Colorado