wildernet

Blanco Ranger District

Quick Facts

Ute Creek Trail

Beginning Elevation:	7,500 Feet (2337.9 Meters)
Difficulty:	Moderate
Elevation Gain:	3,000 Feet (935.2 Meters)
Ending Elevation:	10,500 Feet (3273.1 Meters)
Length:	10 Miles (16.67 Kilometers)
Trail Number:	1,824
Usage:	Moderate

General Description

After leaving the trailhead, you follow the road for 1/2 mile through the Ute Creek summer home group to the start of the trail. You follow Ute Creek for 4 1/2 miles to the Flat Tops Wilderness boundary; the aspen changes to Engelmann spruce and alpine-fir, broken by grassy openings with Ute Creek flowing peacefully through the meadows. The Ute Creek Fire of 1994 burned the trees along several miles of trail. Be extremely careful around standing dead trees. Two miles into the Wilderness you reach the Flat Tops Plateau. The trail continues through this same spruce-fir forest for another mile before breaking into open parks for the remaining 2 miles to Oyster Lake and the Oyster Lake Trail, 10 miles from the trailhead.

Directions from Meeker: Ute Creek Trial is located 31 miles east of Meeker. Take State Highway 13 east out of Meeker for one mile; turn right on County Road 8 for 28 miles; turn right, cross the bridge and turn right on the Marvine Creek Road (County Road 12) for 1 mile to the Ute Creek Road (County Road 119). Follow this road 1 mile taking the left fork up Ute Creek to the Ute Creek Trailhead.

Seasonal Information:
Normally Accessible: May through November (NOTE: Always open. Beware of severe Winter conditions.) .

Current Conditions & Trip Reports

Open Updated: 2000-05-26 18:01:00.0

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Difficulty: Hard
Number of People Encountered: 0-10 ppl
Recommend to a Friend: Not Recommended
Report: The Ute Creek trail is in need of maintanance, the lower 1-2 miles is riddled with springs, and is difficult traveling. Mud and flowing water hinder travel, and make horse or foot passage dangerous.

Recreation Opportunities

Activity		Remarks	On Site
	Backpacking		Yes
	Fishing		Yes
	Hiking & Walking
	Horseback Riding		Yes

Related Activities

North Fork Campground - North Fork Campground is located 35 miles east of Meeker close to the North Fork of the White River, at an elevation of 8,000 feet. In addition to single sites, the campground has a group site for up to 50 people.

Oyster Lake Trail - This 25 mile long trail begins just south of Buford. It intersects numerous other trails and passes many lakes while crossing the Flat Tops Plateau until reaching the Wall Lake Trail above Trappers Lake.

Papoose Trail - Papoose Creek Trail leads up Papoose Creek past several short waterfalls, to Papoose Basin. It then climbs onto the Flat Tops Plateau where it intersects the Oyster Lake Trail.