Lion Gulch Trail to Homestead Meadows - 6.1 Miles Round-Trip

The Homestead Act of 1862 encouraged western expansion by opening America's land to agricultural settlement. To qualify, a person had to be a US citizen (or express the intent to become one), older than 21 (or head of a household) and possess less than 160 acres of their own land.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

To acquire the property title one had to build a house within 5 years, occupy the land for at least 6 months of the year, make income related to the property and cultivate a portion of the land. After 6 months one could buy the land for $1.25 an acre, or $15 outright after 5 years. Homesteaders could acquire up to 320 acres of land under the Act, a program that ended in 1976.

Homestead Meadows, listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, contains the remains of over a dozen cabins from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It's easy to see why this area attracted homesteaders, with miles of rolling meadows well-suited for ranching, hunting and building.

Visitors will enjoy a moderate hike on the Lion Gulch Trail to an up-close look at these well-preserved historic sites:

The trail drops from the parking lot into a gulch, over a creek and rises steadily up the far side. It crosses back over (.35 miles) and merges with the equestrian trail (.45 miles : 7,435'), gradually bending northwest (.6 miles) along the upper-gulch.

The trail crosses a third bridge (1.0 miles : 7,538') and intensifies on a twisting, undulating course in a busy forest. Pinyon, lodgepole and ponderosa give way to aspen, fir and spruce on the rapid climb.

Grades moderate beside a small creek (1.9 miles : 8,137') as the forest opens on level double track (2.5 miles : 8,345') to the Lion's Paw Trail - Pierson Park split (2.95 miles : 8,424'). Continue straight to the welcome sign for Homestead Meadows (3.05 miles : 8,447') and access to the Walker, Griffith, Irvin and Brown homestead sites (an additional .25, .5, 1.5 and 2.0 miles, respectively).

The main trail continues through an aspen-ringed meadow and skirts the Walker Homestead, with various social trails leading to its scattered remains. It re-enters a sparse forest and rises modestly to the next three sites.

Be mindful of private property boundaries and stay on designated trails as you move deeper into the historic district. Those not pressing on may consider minimizing their profile around the meadows' edge and looking for wildlife such as deer, elk, turkey and fox.