Saint Louis Lake–Darling Creek Trail, 3 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 4,505 ft · 7 hr 25 min
Saint Louis Lake–Darling Creek Trail, 3 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back in Arapaho National Forest near Leal, CO. The route reaches Saint Louis Lake at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It climbs 4,505 ft, with sections as steep as 27% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 91/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Saint Louis Lake–Darling Creek Trail, 3 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 4,505 ft · 7 hr 25 min
Elevation 8,950–12,184 ft
Out & Back · Arapaho National Forest
Trailhead: Darling Creek · 39.79664, -106.02481
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 77°F / low 48° · precip 8% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:36 AM · sunset 7:32 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Darling Creek Trail, heading S.
- 5.6 miTurn right onto Saint Louis Divide Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miSharp left onto St Louis Pass Trail, heading N.
- 0.8 miTurn left onto Saint Louis Lake Trail, heading N.
- 1.1 miReach Saint Louis Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1.1 miTurn right onto St Louis Pass Trail, heading SW.
- 0.8 miSharp right onto Saint Louis Divide Trail, heading S.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Darling Creek Trail, heading N.
- 5.5 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 5.1 mi in (~205 min). Leave by 3:47 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 9:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Darling Creek Trailhead
- Darling Creek Trail & Williams Fork Boardwalk Trail 2.7 mi · ▲ 0 ft
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Hikes near Leal, Colorado