Rock Creek Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Spring · Swimming · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Gaining 914 feet of elevation across 1.5 miles of wide, sweeping switchbacks, the Rock Creek Trail leaves the Vallacito Creek Trail behind. Aspen groves paint the hillsides, especially at the confluence of the two namesake creeks.

Where the grade levels above the narrow mouth of the canyon, the trail drifts into and out of meadows to views of the ragged peaks at the head of the basin. Negotiating the exposed bedrock which might give the trail its name, then edging past a rockfall, Peter's Peak soon comes into view.

Now deep into the Weminuche Wilderness, many miles from any trailhead, moose, elk and deer are plentiful, along with a possible bear. Be smart with your food and toiletries to not attract any unwelcome visitors to camp: don’t put yourself or the wildlife in any danger.

Nearing treeline, more switchback gain ground, climbing 350 feet. A couple of small campsites dot the woods beside Rock Creek before meeting with the Emerald Lake Trail at 4 miles. You can follow this trail 0.2 miles up to Rock Lake, but the Rock Creek trail instead makes a sharp turn back to the north where it soon finds the Flint Creek #527 trail. Now above treeline, keep heading north, beyond a couple of high alpine ponds. The trail ends where the CDT: Twin Lakes to Beartown (CO Sec. 8) and CDT: Weminuche Pass to Twin Lakes (CO Sec. 7) meet, beside Twin Lakes, at 12,800 feet.