Frisco to Vail Thru Hike - 13.55 Miles Round-Trip

The Meadow Creek Trail (6.6 miles) and Gore Creek Trail (7.0 miles) form a 13.6 mile thru-hike from Frisco to Vail. The route passes through big alpine meadows and scales two gorgeous passes en route - Eccles Pass (11,917') and Red Buffalo Pass (11,742'). Visitors will enjoy miles of alpine travel and abundant wildflowers on this challenging and varied trek:

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

The Meadow Creek Trail winds through an aspen-pine forest to the Lily Pad Lake Trail split and bends northeast (.57 miles : 9,560'). It widens on a variously soft and rocky path to Meadow Creek (1.35 miles : 10,036'), crosses, and resumes a methodical climb through uniform lodgepole.

At 2.5 miles (10,764') the trail transitions into the high subalpine with a glimpse of the upper valley (2.65 miles : 10,835'). It continues steeply to a crest overlooking the first of three large meadows below Eccles Pass (2.95 miles : 10,988').

Look for moose and elk in the meadows, and mountain goat on higher slopes and ridges. The trail undulates ruggedly up the wooded south edge of the first and smallest meadow, crossing Meadow Creek once on a shoddy bridge.

The forest breaks on the edge of a second, much larger meadow with good views of the upper valley (3.6 miles : 11,128'). Chief Mountain (11,377') stands prominently to the south, and Eccles Pass can now be seen to the northwest. This terrain is particularly good for camping, though fires are restricted near treeline.

Travel eases in a thinning forest to the third and largest meadow (3.95 miles : 11,235'). A short climb leads back over Meadow Creek (4.15 miles : 11,305') and levels to the Meadow Creek - Gore Range Trail junction (4.45 miles : 11,422'). Bear right toward Eccles Pass.

The trail winds steeply up to Eccles Pass (5.12 miles : 11,917') with long views back down valley, and northerly panoramas of Red Peak (13,189'), Buffalo Mountain (12,777') and South Willow Creek basin. It drops north from Eccles Pass and skirts the bottom of a talus slide to a long alpine bench connecting the passes (5.5 miles : 11,690').

This stunning segment is dotted with tarns and carpeted in wildflowers. The trail rolls gently past two ponds (5.75 miles : 11,568' - 6.0 miles : 11,448'), then tilts up for a short but steep push to Red Buffalo Pass (6.6 miles : 11,742').

The trail fades again on top of the pass and is difficult to find. From the pass, head .12 miles south and look downhill (west) for cairns. Note the trail does not travel down the north side of the valley.

Locate cairns - which are fairly small - and head downhill. A narrow but clear path soon emerges in the grass, bending sharply south .25 miles from the pass (6.85 miles : 11,589'). The downhill grade is very steep, and challenging even when dry.

Travel moderates as you near the valley floor west of Red Buffalo Pass, but still requires vigilance on vague segments (7.35 miles : 11,045'). The trail flattens through a large meadow and crosses the headwaters of Gore Creek, a modest trickle at this point (7.5 miles : 10,956').

Here a cluttered forest reclaims the shifting trail down the south bank of Gore Creek. Look for wildlife - especially deer, elk, moose, and bear - in meadows 1.25 miles and 1.6 miles from the pass. The trail edges down to Gore Creek, which must be crossed (9.35 miles : 10,194').

Though this point is unmarked, you can locate the Gore Lake Trail split in a clearing just over the creek and use that for guidance. The trail resumes west down the north bank of Gore Creek.

This rugged 4.2 mile segment leading to Vail is highlighted by aspen groves, flowers and large clearings in the valley. Aspen are more abundant past a bridge crossing at 11.8 miles (9,517').

The trail crosses the Eagles Nest Wilderness Boundary (13.15 miles) on the final run down to the Gore Creek Trailhead in east Vail (13.55 miles : 8,721').