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Alaina Krakowiak · CC BY 4.0

Lulu Mountain–American Lakes, 3 summits is a 15.9-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain Wilderness near Willey Lumber Camp, CO. The route passes American Lakes before reaching Lulu Mountain at the turnaround, 8 miles in. It climbs 4,060 ft, with sections as steep as 41% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 38/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi9,400 – 12,215 ft · steepest grade: 41%16.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Seven Utes Trail 40.50298, -105.93329
Nearest town Willey Lumber Camp, CO

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Lulu Mountain–American Lakes, 3 summits

15.9 mi · ▲ 4,060 ft · 7 hr 20 min

Elevation 9,401–12,215 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Mountain Wilderness

Trailhead: Seven Utes Trail · 40.50298, -105.93329

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 73°F / low 50° · precip 2% · wind 1 mph · sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 7:31 PM

Dogs allowed on leash · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  3. 50 ftBear left, heading S.
  4. 0.6 miSharp left, heading SW.
  5. 1.6 miSharp right, heading NE.
  6. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  7. 0.1 miSharp left, heading S.
  8. 0.8 miSharp right onto County Road 62, heading E.
  9. 200 ftBear left, heading NE.
  10. 0.1 miSharp left onto Michigan Ditch Trail, heading SE.
  11. 1.5 miBear right onto American Lakes Trail, heading SE.
  12. 1.8 miPass American Lakes.
  13. 150 ftBear left onto Thunder Pass Trail, heading W.
  14. 0.7 miBear left, heading NE.
  15. 0.5 miReach Lulu Mountain, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  16. 1.2 miBear right onto American Lakes Trail, heading N.
  17. 1.9 miBear left, heading N.
  18. 100 ftContinue straight onto Michigan Ditch Trail, heading N.
  19. 1.5 miSharp right, heading S.
  20. 0.1 miBear right onto County Road 62, heading S.
  21. 150 ftSharp left, heading S.
  22. 0.8 miSharp right, heading N.
  23. 0.1 miTurn right, heading SW.
  24. 50 ftSharp left, heading SW.
  25. 1.6 miSharp right, heading SW.
  26. 0.6 miBear right, heading W.
  27. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  28. 500 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

79% dirt18% gravel3% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 73°F50°
Precip2%Wind1 mphUV7Humidity36%
Rained 0.2″ 6 days ago
Hourly temperature
75°50°
Sunrise 6:36 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:31 PM
Sun 74°52°
Mon 64°49° 30%
Tue 72°44° 19%
Wed 73°49° 24%
Thu 67°48° 24%
Fri 70°45° 26%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 7.9 mi in (~295 min). Leave by 2:16 PM for the 7:31 PM sunset. Back at your car by 11:29 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Dogs allowed on leash
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

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