Blue River Trail

At the start of the tour you immediately have spectacular views of the Blue River Valley and the majestic Tenmile Range. The road, managed by Summit County, follows the old South Park and Pacific Railroad bed, climbing on a gradual 3% grade. The road climbs past Bakers Tank to the summit of Boreas Pass at the Continental Divide. The road then continues down the other side of Boreas Pass for another 10.4 miles to the town of Como in Park County. From 1872 to 1938 the road was used as a narrow-gauge railroad and gained fame as the nation’s highest narrow-gauge railroad, running from Como to Breckenridge. This is a great road to view Fall colors.

The trail starts in the Aspen trees on a hillside full of sagebrush that overlooks the Blue River Valley. This trail is used to access the Gore Range Trail and Lost Lake Trail in the Eagles Nest Wilderness Area. To access this trailhead you will need high clearance 4x4 vehicle.

There are two trailheads for the Burro Trail, one starting at the base of the Peak 9 ski area at Breckenridge near Beaver Run Resort and the other starting at the Spruce Creek Trailhead north of Breckenridge in the town of Blue River. The trail winds through dense forest and has some viewpoints along the way, and eventually connects with Spruce Creek Road.

* There is a printable Recreation Quicksheet for this trail which is complete with directions, a map, details, and other information about this trail. Or to see quicksheets for other recreation areas across the Forest, click on the "Recreation Quicksheets" link in the right column and select the appropriate Ranger District.

The trail climbs over Gold Hill where you can enjoy views of the Upper Blue River Valley eastward and the rugged Tenmile Range to the west. The trail passes through a series of clear cuts that were cut in 1988 along with a more recent clearing at the beginning of the trail in 2008. The remaining thick lodgepole pine in the area average 70 to 100 years in age. These trees, because of their density and age, are especially susceptible to disease and fire. Small clear-cut areas are designed to minimize the danger to the overall forest by creating age differences and open glades. We encourage people to watch this area as a new healthy ecosystem reclaims the area where the clear cut areas are.

This trail enters the Eagles Nest Wilderness where it winds through aspen groves and crosses open meadows, providing great views of the Williams Fork Range, Dillon Reservoir and the entire Blue River Valley. The meadows offer opportunities for viewing wildflowers during mid-July. Eventually the trail climbs up a gorge between Buffalo Mountain and Red Peak. South Willow Falls is a cascade that tumbles over the rocks of South Willow Creek.

The Wheeler National Recreation Trail can either be started outside of Blue River just north of McCullough Gulch or near Copper Mountain. The trail climbs into the alpine and crosses over the Tenmile Range and has spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. You can also enjoy the lower elevations as it passes through a mix of lodgepole and spruce/fir forests. Because this trail travels above timberline, you should begin your hike early in the morning because of the ever changing mountain weather. There is always a strong chance of afternoon thundershowers accompanied by lightning.