Rocky Mountain National Park's Lulu City Trail

Lulu City Trail

Description:
The Lulu City Trail begins at the Colorado River Trailhead at an elevation of 9,008 feet. It follows the Colorado River through the old Lulu City town site and ends with its intersection with the Little Yellowstone Trail at 9,530 feet. It intersects the Red Mountain, Little Yellowstone, and Stage Road trails along the way. After leaving the parking area, the trail makes a short, moderate climb over some switchbacks. It soon levels out as it travels north through spruce and lodgepole pine forests. The trail intersects the Red Mountain Trail in a meadow about .45 miles from its start. It continues through the meadow, closely following the Colorado River for a while. The first two miles of the trail is a very pleasant walk along the river. There are plenty of access paths to the river for fishermen.

The trail travels along side of a large meadow at the base of steep slope (tailings from the Shipler Mine). You'll come to the remains of the Shipler cabins in another .4 miles. From here the trail continues through spruce forest and crosses Crater Creek. It turns northeast for a while before turning back north. It soon intersects the south end of the Little Yellowstone Trail and makes a steep descent to the meadow where Lulu City was once located. Very little remains of the town. The trail crosses Little Dutch Creek and continues north to its intersection with the Stage Road Trail. From here it is a short distance to its end at the Little Yellowstone Trail above Lulu Creek.

Features:

Length:	4.1 miles (6.6 kilometers)
Elevation Range:	9,008' - 9,639'
Elevation change:	1,662 feet
Season:	Jun 1 - Nov 1
Difficulty:	Easy to moderate
Use:	Moderate
USGS maps:	Fall River Pass
Trailheads:	Colorado River, Never Summer
Restrictions:	No pets are permitted
Suitable for mountain bikes:	No (not permitted)
Suitable for horses:	Yes

Vicinity Map

Altitude Profile

Directions:
The nearest trailhead to this trail is the Colorado River Trailhead on the west side of the Park. The trailhead is just west of Trail Ridge Road about 10.2 miles north of the Grand Lake Entrance and about 31 miles from the Beaver Meadows Entrance.

You can also access the trail from the Never Summer Trailhead on the Long Draw Road. Take Highway 287 north from Fort Collins to La Porte. Continue on 287 north to Highway 14. Travel west on 14 for 52 miles to the Long Draw Road. Turn left and travel 12.5 miles to the trailhead at the end of the road. Take the Grand Ditch and Little Yellowstone trails for about 2.5 miles to the north end of the trail.

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