This National Recreation Trail travels from the Vail Pass Trail, just east of East Vail, up over Two Elk Pass, then down Two Elk Creek into Minturn. It can be traveled in either direction.A designated National Recreation Trail, Two Elk Trail offers many panoramic views of the Gore and Sawatch Ranges. This trail also passes by the back bowls of Vail Ski Area. China, Sunup and Sundown bowls are known for their deep powder skiing. A side trip to Red Benchmark, north of Two Elk Pass offers a 360 degree view of the surrounding mountains and valleys. The changes in elevation provide for a wide variety of vegetation, ranging from high alpine forests to stands of aspens and cottonwoods to dry, brushy slopes.
Directions from Vail: West Trailhead: Follow I-70 west to the Minturn exit (#171). Travel south for 2.5 miles to Cemetery Road in Minturn. (This is the only bridge across the river in the town). Turn left on Cemetery Road and continue on the road to the fork. Take the right fork, where the road forks again, take the left fork and follow this to the end of the road.
Directions from Beaver Creek: West Trailhead: Follow I-70 east to the Minturn exit (#171). Travel south for 2.5 miles to Cemetery Road in Minturn. (This is the only bridge across the river in the town). Turn left on Cemetery Road and continue on the road to the fork. Take the right fork, where the road forks again, take the left fork and follow this to the end of the road.
Directions from Vail: East Trailhead: Travel east on I-70 approximately 4 miles to exit 180, the East Vail exit. Turn right (south) from the off-ramp onto a frontage road. Follow the frontage road to the road closure gate, approximately 2 miles. This is the start of Vail Pass Trail, a paved path. The east end of the Two Elk Trail can be accessed approximately 2 miles up the Vail Pass Trail. No motorized vehicles are permitted on the Vail Pass Trail.
Directions from Beaver Creek: East Trailhead: Travel east on I-70 to the east Vail exit, (#180). Turn right (south) from the off-ramp onto a frontage road. Follow the frontage road to the road closure gate, approximately 2 miles. This is the start of Vail Pass Trail, a paved path. The east end of the Two Elk Trail can be accessed approximately 2 miles up the Vail Pass Trail. No motorized vehicles are permitted on the Vail Pass Trail.
Seasonal Information:
Normally Accessible:
Summer through Early Fall
(NOTE: Closed from May 6th to July 1 annually. The area is closed for the protection of elk during calving season. This also includes the backbowls of Vail and the new Blue Sky Basin ski area expansion)
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Closed till July 1, 2001 for resource protection. Updated: 2001-06-13 11:28:00.0
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