Europe Canyon Alternate Trail Start

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Features Wildflowers · Wildlife

This is an alternate start to Europe Canyon Trail. It bypasses the rocky, muddy start of Europe Canyon Trail, and instead goes up an easy to hike, dry route to join Europe Canyon Trail after about a fifth of a mile.

Its terrain is easy. The only reason it is rated intermediate/dificult is because it requires route finding by following small, widely spaced cairns on a grassy slope for the first one tenth mile. After that the trail appears as forest is entered.

This alternate start to Europe Canyon Trail is found at a noticeable rock pile along Valley Lake Trail at the northeast end of Valley Lake. This is about 0.9 miles along Valley Lake Trail from Valley Lake Trail's northern trail start along the CDT. Standing at the rock pile (see pictures below), look north-northeast up the meadow toward the forested ridge. This alternate, goes directly up the meadow to the ridge, but is too faint here to be seen. There are small, widely spaced cairns in the meadow. So head toward the forested ridge, watching for the cairns.

Once at the edge of the forest, look around for good trail - it's there. Continue on the good trail to its unmarked junction with Europe Canyon Trail. Go right/northeast on Europe Canyon Trail to enjoy the scenic hike to Europe Pass on the Continental Divide.

Grassy, rocky meadow and rocky pine forest.