AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge

Oberon Lake & Croke Canal Trail

4.6 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 1 hr 34 min

Oberon Lake & Croke Canal Trail is a 4.6-mile out-and-back in Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge near Sierra Estates, CO. The route reaches Oberon Lake at the turnaround, 2.1 miles in. It is mostly level, with 80 ft of elevation gain, and mostly dirt. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi5,489 – 5,571 ft5.3 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 39.84010, -105.10876
Nearest town Sierra Estates, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Oberon Lake & Croke Canal Trail

4.6 mi · ▲ 80 ft · 1 hr 34 min

Elevation 5,488–5,570 ft

Out & Back · Two Ponds National Wildlife Refuge

Trailhead: 39.84010, -105.10876

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 95°F / low 59° · precip 10% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:29 PM

Transit-accessible: Kipling St & W 78th Ave stop 157 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading E.
  2. 250 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  3. 0.2 miTurn left onto Croke Canal tr, heading E.
  4. 250 ftTurn right onto Croke Canal Trail, heading S.
  5. 0.5 miBear left onto Club Crest path, heading NE.
  6. 100 ftBear left, heading E.
  7. 0.2 miTurn right onto Croke Canal Trail, heading E.
  8. 0.9 miBear left, heading W.
  9. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  10. 50 ftTurn right, heading W.
  11. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  12. 200 ftBear left, heading W.
  13. 50 ftSharp right, heading W.
  14. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  15. 450 ftPass Oberon Lake.
  16. 200 ftBear left, heading SW.
  17. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  18. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  19. 150 ftBear right, heading NW.
  20. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  21. 450 ftReach Oberon Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  22. 450 ftTurn left, heading SW.
  23. 150 ftBear left, heading SW.
  24. 150 ftTurn right, heading SW.
  25. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  26. 250 ftBear right, heading SW.
  27. 0.1 miTurn right, heading W.
  28. 50 ftSharp left, heading NE.
  29. 50 ftBear right, heading SE.
  30. 200 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  31. 50 ftTurn left, heading SE.
  32. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  33. 0.5 miBear left, heading E.
  34. 0.4 miTurn left, heading E.
  35. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Club Crest path, heading NW.
  36. 350 ftBear left, heading NW.
  37. 150 ftBear right onto Croke Canal Trail, heading NW.
  38. 0.5 miTurn left onto Croke Canal tr, heading W.
  39. 250 ftTurn right, heading NW.
  40. 0.2 miTurn right, heading NE.
  41. 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/oberon-lake-oberon-lake-out-back-3-lakes-7-km

Trail surface

62% dirt23% paved3% gravel12% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 95°F59°
Feels like84°Precip10%Wind8 mphUV7Humidity17%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
95°55°
Sunrise 6:32 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:29 PM
Sat 92°65°
Sun 91°63° 17%
Mon 90°74° 40%
Tue 88°69° 26%
Wed 86°66° 29%
Thu 92°68° 28%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 1.7 mi in (~41 min). Leave by 6:28 PM for the 7:29 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:25 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Kipling St & W 78th Ave stop 157 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Sierra Estates, Colorado