West Big Dry Creek Trail & West Fork Big Dry Creek Trail via Marcy Gulch Trail
6.6 mi · ▲ 672 ft · 2 hr 32 min
West Big Dry Creek Trail & West Fork Big Dry Creek Trail via Marcy Gulch Trail is a 6.6-mile out-and-back in Dad Clark Natural Area near Kistler Park, CO. It climbs 672 ft and is mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
West Big Dry Creek Trail & West Fork Big Dry Creek Trail via Marcy Gulch Trail
6.6 mi · ▲ 672 ft · 2 hr 32 min
Elevation 5,866–6,249 ft
Out & Back · Dad Clark Natural Area
Trailhead: Mansion Footpath · 39.53692, -104.97210
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:28 PM
Dogs allowed on leash
- Start on Mansion Footpath, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left onto Marcy Gulch Trail, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading SW.
- 150 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading S.
- 250 ftBear right, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading S.
- 0.3 miTurn right onto Dad Clark Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading S.
- 50 ftTurn right onto East/West Regional Trail, heading S.
- 0.3 miBear left onto West Fork Big Dry Creek Trail, heading SE.
- 1 miTurn left, heading NE.
- 50 ftSharp right onto West Big Dry Creek Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miReach West Fork Big Dry Creek Trail, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.1 miSharp left, heading N.
- 1 miBear right onto East/West Regional Trail, heading W.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 50 ftTurn right onto Dad Clark Trail, heading NW.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 100 ftContinue straight onto Vista Nation XC 2-mile course, heading NW.
- 0.2 miSharp right, heading N.
- 50 ftBear left, heading N.
- 300 ftTurn left, heading N.
- 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
- 0.1 miContinue straight onto Marcy Gulch Trail, heading NW.
- 0.5 miTurn right, heading NE.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Mansion Footpath, heading NW.
- 350 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 right at the trailhead, so there is no walk out. Be there by 7:08 PM to have the sun's last 20 minutes of sky before it sets at 7:28 PM. Your car is right there — dark at 7:55 PM.
Good to know
- Dogs allowed on leash
More from Mansion Footpath Trailhead
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3 mi · ▲ 282 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3 mi · ▲ 283 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 249 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.3 mi · ▲ 249 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 308 ft
- Marcy Gulch Trail 3.5 mi · ▲ 308 ft
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Hikes near Kistler Park, Colorado