McKay Lake–Quail Creek Trail, 3 sights
4.9 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 1 hr 43 min
McKay Lake–Quail Creek Trail, 3 sights is a 4.9-mile out-and-back near Eastlake, CO. The route reaches McKay Lake at the turnaround, 2.5 miles in. It is mostly level, with 162 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
McKay Lake–Quail Creek Trail, 3 sights
4.9 mi · ▲ 162 ft · 1 hr 43 min
Elevation 5,155–5,242 ft
Out & Back
Trailhead: Thorncreek Trail · 39.93016, -104.98441
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:28 PM
Transit-accessible: stop 673 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Thorncreek Trail, heading N.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading N.
- 400 ftSharp right onto Orchard Trail, heading W.
- 50 ftTurn left onto Quail Creek Trail, heading W.
- 0.6 miBear left, heading W.
- 1.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 150 ftBear left, heading NW.
- 100 ftTurn right, heading NW.
- 0.2 miReach McKay Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading N.
- 100 ftBear right, heading N.
- 1.2 miBear left, heading E.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Orchard Trail, heading S.
- 50 ftSharp left onto Big Dry Creek Trail, heading S.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Thorncreek Trail, heading SE.
- 0.3 miArrive 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 0.0 mi in (~1 min). Leave by 7:08 PM for the 7:28 PM sunset. Back at your car by 7:44 PM — 12 min before dark. Car visible from the viewpoint
Good to know
- Transit-accessible: stop 673 m from the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Thorncreek Trail Trailhead
- Big Dry Creek Trail 2 mi · ▲ 84 ft
- Big Dry Creek Trail 2 mi · ▲ 84 ft
- Big Dry Creek Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 84 ft
- Koleski Reservoir Number 1 & Thorncreek Trail via Big Dry Creek Trail 3.4 mi · ▲ 165 ft
- Stratford Lake–Bull Reservoir, 3 lakes 9.1 mi · ▲ 165 ft
- Bull Reservoir–Stratford Lake, 9 lakes 11 mi · ▲ 137 ft
Get outside more
A wild hike near Eastlake, emailed to you once a week.
Hikes near Eastlake, Colorado