AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

McKay Lake & Quail Creek Trail

4.9 mi · ▲ 59 ft · 1 hr 40 min

McKay Lake & Quail Creek Trail is a 4.9-mile out-and-back near Quail Hill, CO. The route reaches McKay Lake at the turnaround, 2.4 miles in. It is mostly level, with 59 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,158 – 5,256 ft5.8 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.94368, -104.99012
Nearest town Quail Hill, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

McKay Lake & Quail Creek Trail

4.9 mi · ▲ 59 ft · 1 hr 40 min

Elevation 5,159–5,257 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: 39.94368, -104.99012

Weather Sep 5: Overcast, high 94°F / low 63° · precip 8% · wind 3 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:28 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading SE.
  2. 50 ftSharp left, heading E.
  3. 50 ftSharp right onto Orchard Trail, heading S.
  4. 450 ftBear right, heading SE.
  5. 0.4 miTurn right onto Quail Creek Trail, heading W.
  6. 0.6 miBear left, heading W.
  7. 1.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
  8. 100 ftBear left, heading NW.
  9. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  10. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  11. 50 ftBear right, heading W.
  12. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  13. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  14. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  15. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  16. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  17. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  18. 50 ftReach McKay Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  19. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  20. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  21. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  22. 50 ftBear right, heading N.
  23. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  24. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  25. 50 ftBear left, heading N.
  26. 50 ftTurn right, heading N.
  27. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  28. 100 ftBear right, heading NW.
  29. 1.2 miBear left, heading SE.
  30. 0.6 miTurn left onto Orchard Trail, heading E.
  31. 0.4 miTurn right, heading E.
  32. 500 ftSharp left, heading SE.
  33. 50 ftSharp right, heading SE.
  34. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/mckay-lake-quail-creek-trail-out-back-8-km-11db

Trail surface

91% paved2% dirt7% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 94°F63°
Precip8%Wind3 mphUV7Humidity38%
Hourly temperature
95°60°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:28 PM
Sun 91°63° 25%
Mon 89°75° 27%
Tue 89°68° 26%
Wed 91°67° 24%
Thu 90°71° 19%
Fri 91°69° 15%

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Quail Hill, Colorado