Sleepy Lion Viewpoint–Ralph Price Reservoir, 7 sights
11.7 mi · ▲ 2,283 ft · 5 hr 2 min
Sleepy Lion Viewpoint–Ralph Price Reservoir, 7 sights is an 11.7-mile out-and-back in Button Rock Preserve near Big Elk Meadows, CO. The route passes Ralph Price Reservoir before reaching Sleepy Lion Viewpoint at the turnaround, 5.8 miles in. It climbs 2,283 ft, with sections as steep as 23% grade. It scores 84/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Sleepy Lion Viewpoint–Ralph Price Reservoir, 7 sights
11.7 mi · ▲ 2,283 ft · 5 hr 2 min
Elevation 6,382–7,848 ft
Out & Back · Button Rock Preserve
Trailhead: Button Rock B Road · 40.25001, -105.41069
Weather Sep 4: Partly cloudy, high 83°F / low 59° · precip 15% · wind 6 mph · sunrise 6:33 AM · sunset 7:30 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Button Rock B Road, heading E.
- 100 ftTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 400 ftContinue straight onto Rattlesnake Ridge Road, heading S.
- 0.5 miBear right onto Rattlesnake Gulch, heading SE.
- 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
- 0.7 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.3 miBear right onto Button Rock Road, heading S.
- 0.9 miTurn left onto North Shore Trail, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Ralph Price Reservoir.
- 1.6 miTurn right, heading S.
- 250 ftTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Professors' Ranch Trail, heading S.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Sleepy Lion Trail, heading S.
- 0.6 miTurn left, heading SE.
- 50 ftReach Sleepy Lion Viewpoint, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miContinue straight onto Professors' Ranch Trail, heading SW.
- 0.4 miBear right onto South Shore Trail, heading N.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left, heading NW.
- 250 ftTurn left onto North Shore Trail, heading NW.
- 1.6 miTurn right onto Button Rock Road, heading SW.
- 0.9 miBear left, heading N.
- 0.3 miTurn left onto Rattlesnake Gulch, heading NE.
- 0.7 miBear left, heading NW.
- 50 ftContinue straight onto Rattlesnake Gulch (unmaintained), heading NW.
- 0.5 miContinue straight onto Button Rock B Road, heading NW.
- 350 ftSharp left, heading NW.
- 0.2 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
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Button Rock B Road Trailhead
- Burning Bush & Elk Trickle via Johnny Park Road 2 mi · ▲ 497 ft
- Button Rock B Road–Reach Around, 3 sights 2.3 mi · ▲ 680 ft
- Crash'n–Rattlesnake Ridge Road Loop, 3 sights 2.5 mi · ▲ 467 ft
- Button Rock Mountain Trail & Fudgepacker 3.8 mi · ▲ 970 ft
- Fudgepacker–Loop-D-Loop, 4 sights 4.4 mi · ▲ 1,200 ft
- Button Rock Road–Coulson Gulch Trail Loop, 4 sights 4.9 mi · ▲ 1,249 ft
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