AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Cottonwood Run Natural Area

Schuster Lake–Sandpiper Pond, 6 lakes

10.1 mi · ▲ 192 ft · 3 hr 28 min

Schuster Lake–Sandpiper Pond, 6 lakes is a 10.1-mile out-and-back in Cottonwood Run Natural Area near Loveland, CO. The route passes Jayhawker Pond North, Jayhawker Pond South, Dragonfly Pond and 2 more. It is mostly level, with 192 ft of elevation gain, and mostly paved. It scores 0/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.

Elevation

0 mi4,954 – 5,164 ft10.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.39138, -105.09526
Nearest town Loveland, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Schuster Lake–Sandpiper Pond, 6 lakes

10.1 mi · ▲ 192 ft · 3 hr 28 min

Elevation 4,954–5,164 ft

Out & Back · Cottonwood Run Natural Area

Trailhead: 40.39138, -105.09526

Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:32 AM · sunset 7:29 PM

Transit-accessible: SB CASCADE & 22ND STREET stop 508 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading S.
  2. 50 ftPass Jayhawker Pond North.
  3. 50 ftPass Jayhawker Pond South.
  4. 50 ftBear left, heading SE.
  5. 50 ftTurn left, heading E.
  6. 0.1 miPass Dragonfly Pond.
  7. 50 ftPass Sandpiper Pond.
  8. 50 ftTurn left, heading N.
  9. 0.1 miTurn left, heading N.
  10. 150 ftTurn right, heading N.
  11. 350 ftBear left onto Big Thompson River Trail, heading N.
  12. 1.1 miPass Schuster Lake.
  13. 0.1 miBear right, heading NW.
  14. 1.3 miTurn right onto Westside Trail, heading W.
  15. 0.1 miBear left, heading N.
  16. 0.3 miTurn right, heading N.
  17. 0.8 miTurn left, heading NE.
  18. 50 ftTurn right, heading NE.
  19. 50 ftTurn left, heading NE.
  20. 50 ftContinue straight onto Mahaffey Park, heading NE.
  21. 150 ftBear right, heading N.
  22. 350 ftTurn left, heading NW.
  23. 150 ftTurn right, heading W.
  24. 0.1 miBear right, heading W.
  25. 50 ftTurn left, heading W.
  26. 350 ftContinue straight onto Westside Trail, heading NW.
  27. 0.6 miReach Schuster Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  28. 0.7 miTurn right, heading W.
  29. 50 ftBear left, heading W.
  30. 0.1 miTurn left, heading W.
  31. 150 ftTurn right, heading E.
  32. 350 ftBear left, heading S.
  33. 100 ftContinue straight onto Mahaffey Park, heading S.
  34. 150 ftTurn right, heading S.
  35. 50 ftTurn left, heading S.
  36. 100 ftTurn right onto Westside Trail, heading S.
  37. 1.2 miTurn left onto Big Thompson River Trail, heading NW.
  38. 1.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  39. 1.5 miBear right, heading SE.
  40. 350 ftTurn left, heading E.
  41. 150 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  42. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  43. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  44. 50 ftBear right, heading E.
  45. 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/schuster-lake-sandpiper-pond-out-back-9-lakes-14-km-e5e6

Trail surface

66% paved3% gravel31% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:32 AMSunset 7:29 PM

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: SB CASCADE & 22ND STREET stop 508 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Loveland, Colorado