Fredonia Gulch to Hoosier Ridge - Red Mountain, Fredonia Gulch Road Trailhead, Summit County - Eagle County - Clear Creek County, Colorado

Fredonia Gulch to Hoosier Ridge - Red Mountain - 4.0 miles

Fredonia Gulch Road Trailhead

Views from the Fredonia Gulch Trail at the base of Red Mountain

Views from the Fredonia Gulch Trail at the base of Red Mountain

Round-Trip Length: 4.0 miles
Start-End Elevation: 10,250' - 11,451' (11,451' max elevation)
Elevation Change: +1,201' net elevation gain (+1,245' total roundtrip elevation gain)
Skill Level: Moderate
Dogs Allowed: Yes
Bikes Allowed: No
Horses Allowed: No
Related Trails:

Fredonia Gulch to Hoosier Ridge - Red Mountain - 4.0 Miles Round-Trip

The Fredonia Gulch Trail provides outstanding views of Summit County and leads to an old mining camp at Hoosier Ridge near the base of Red Mountain. Moderate to steep grades on a well-maintained service road are nicely suited for conditioned families, runners and winter recreationalists.

The trailhead is located 4.5 miles south of downtown Breckenridge on Fredonia Gulch Road (Colorado Road 600). The trail begins just past a utility building on the right as you enter the forest. In .1 miles it passes through an official forest service gate labeled CR 600 and climbs steadily through mixed pine with improving westerly views. Massive snowcapped peaks soon emerge behind thick subalpine forests in the foreground.

Switchbacks ease through 1.7 miles as the trail bends east and heads directly toward the base of Red Mountain. The remaining .3 miles are rugged and exposed with unabated views to the south and west. Notable summits include (north to south) Crystal Peak (13,852'), Quandary Peak (14,265') and Mt Lincoln (14,286').

The trail ends at an old mining camp on Hoosier Ridge at the base of Red Mountain (2.0 miles : 11,451'). Remnants of mining life still remain, and while exploration is encouraged, caution is a must to avoid stray metal objects hidden by krummholz and underbrush.

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Interactive GPS Topo Map

Key GPS Coordinates - DATUM WGS84

  • N39 24.823 W106 02.580 — 0.0 miles: Fredonia Gulch Trailhead - 10,250'
  • N39 24.806 W106 02.480 — 0.1 miles: Continue through forest service gate
  • N39 24.826 W106 02.188 — 1.0 miles: Trail continues steady climb
  • N39 24.507 W106 01.685 — 1.9 miles: Trail splits right to Mining Camp (stay left)
  • N39 24.443 W106 01.616 — 2.0 miles: Trail ends at base of Red Mountain

Worth Noting

  • Though the trailhead is currently unmarked, the town of Breckenridge plans to build a formal trailhead at Fredonia Gulch Road in 2010.

  • Fredonia Gulch Road is easy to miss when heading south from the Boreas Pass Road intersection in Breckenridge. The road is exactly 4.5 miles south of Boreas Pass Road on your left.

  • Of fifty-three 14,000' summits in Colorado, Mt Lincoln is the 8th tallest and Quandary Peak ranks 13th; the highest mountain in Colorado is Mt Elbert (14,433'), located in the Sawatch Range.

Camping and Backpacking Information

  • Dispersed backcountry camping is allowed and NO permit is necessary - however, please contact the Dillon Ranger District at 970.468.5400 for weather conditions and closure information prior to planning your trip. They are open M - F from 8am - 4pm.

  • Fires are allowed for dispersed camping in the backcountry - during dry seasons, there may be seasonal restrictions - please contact the Dillon Ranger District during your trip planning.

  • For those not wishing to camp in the backcountry, there are several developed campgrounds within the White River National Forest. Contact the Dillon Ranger District for information on these sites.

Fishing Information

  • Fishing is permitted with a Colorado license.

Directions to Trailhead

From the last traffic light on South Main Street in Breckenridge (the Boreas Pass Road / Broken Lance Road intersection), drive south on Highway 9 for 4.5 miles to Fredonia Gulch Road (on your left). Turn left onto Fredonia Gulch Road (CR 600) and park along the side of the road. Walk up the road and the road will turn into the trail as you pass the the utility building located on your right hand side.

Contact Information

White River National Forest
Dillon Ranger District
680 Blue River Parkway
Silverthorne, CO 80498
Phone: 970.468.5400
Fax: 970.468.7735

Trip Reports

There are no trip reports on this trail.



Comments

"Nice hick, not too hard for a couple who would qualify for aarp membership. Great views and quiet. Despite the crowds in town, only met one other couple. "
Wendell  -  TX  -  Date Posted: September 14, 2016
"I hiked this lovely trail today. This article is VERY helpful! I live here, so I am acclimated to the altitude and made the hike in 1 hour 9 minutes. My tracker said that it was about 2.2 miles to the top. I only saw one other person on a Saturday with thousands of people in town. THANK you for telling me about this hidden gem! The views are AMAZINGLY from the top - you can go left at the very top for the lower view below the mine, or you can go right at the top for the upper view. Climbing between the two was slightly sketchy. You will feel the incline the entire way, but there were no moments where it was super steep or challenging (ex. no talus or scree). "
Jenni  -  Breckenridge, CO  -  Date Posted: July 16, 2016
"This hike was great! I did this hike with my boyfriend. We are both Nebraskans, mid-twenties, and physically fit, and this hike was an enjoyable challenge. The entire path is wide and pebbly, and winds back and forth across/up the mountain forest. It is a steady and constant uphill journey with few places to stop and rest, but there are enjoyable high-up views about 45 minutes in. Getting to the very top took about 2 hours (with some brief stops) and the hike down took 45 minutes. All together, it took from 10:30am - 1:30pm. The journey up was not the most fun because I like hikes that wiggly among boulders and tree roots, and this was a pretty uninteresting first half, but then the second half and the top made it all worth it. The view was INCREDIBLE!!! Also, we did not see another person throughout our entire hike, so it was fun to have the trail and views to ourselves. I highly recommend this hike!! I would do it again myself. "
Madeleine Moore  -  Breckenridge, CO  -  Date Posted: July 29, 2015

 

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