Eldorado National Forest

Recreational Activities: Hiking, Biking, and Horses

Van Vleck and Tells Creek

NON-MOTORIZED TRAIL INFORMATION

Legend: Symbol Descriptions

Van Vleck Area Trail Descriptions

Van Vleck Trailhead: From Highway 50 follow Ice House Road approximately 20 miles to Robbs Saddle. At Robbs Saddle turn east on Cheese Camp Road and follow it east about six miles passing a large corral on the right. About 500 yards before the locked gate at Tell's Creek take a right on the dirt road. Ample trailhead parking and primitive camping areas are available 300-400 yards down this road.
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Bassi Loop: From the Van Vleck trailhead parking area, head south along the road through the camping area to the trailhead sign. The trail heads south to the creek and then curves north east until it connects into the Red Peak Trail road approximately 1.8 miles west of the wilderness boundary. Turn left (west) and follow the Red Peak Trail road back to the trailhead. This trail is good for hiking, biking and equestrian use.
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Highland: From the Van Vleck Trailhead, follow the road east past the locked gate at Tells Creek for one-half miles to the Y intersection. Go to the left and follow the road 0.4 miles to the weather station. Take the trail to the right. The grade is easy for the first 1.5 miles but then it increases dramatically as you climb up Tells Peak. Beautiful views of the Crystal Range and the surrounding lakes are plentiful on this trail. Forni Lake provides some good fishing. The first 2.5 miles are outside the wilderness. The last 0.7 miles to Forni Lake is inside the boundary and will require a Desolation Wilderness permit.
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Loon Lake: From the Van Vleck Trailhead Parking Area back out ot the road and go east to the locked gate before the culvert at Tells Creek. Follow the road past the locked gate for approximately one-half mile to the Y intersection. Follow the road to the left and then take an immediate left on the logging skid road (approximately 75 feet from the Y intersection). The skid road follows the north fence line of Van Vleck Ranch. The trail goes north over a saddle and through a logged area and then heads easterly following the south side of a large meadow. Head in a northerly direction on the west side of the big meadow, cross the small creek and follow the skid road through the logged over area for approximately 0.4 miles to where the trial enters from the west. Once on the trail here you won't have any problem following it to Loon Lake. The trail has several short climbs and descents but the overall grade is fairly steady. There are several scenic overlooks of the south fork of the Rubicon drainage and Chipmunk ridge. After crossing the south fork of the Rubicon Creek the trail climbs at an easy grade to Loon Lake.
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Red Peak: Follow the road past the locked gate at Tells Creek for one-half mile to the Y intersection. Take the road to the right to the end of the road. The trail continues at the end of the road. It has an easy grade of three to six percent for the first 1.3 miles but then begins to climb with a grade of twenty to twenty-five percent as the trail provides access to Lake Number 3, Lake Number 5, Lawrence Lake and Barrett Lake. There are excellent views of the Crystal Basin throughout the trail. The first 1.3 miles of the trail is outside of the wilderness. The last three to four miles are inside the boundary and will require a Desolation Wilderness permit.
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Shadow Lake: Follow the directions to the Highland Trail and continue up the trail approximately 0.8 miles to the first main drainage, just before you start the climb up to Tells Peak. A primitive cow trail follows up the west side of the drainage in a northeast direction. The trail intersects an old road approximately 0.4 miles up the drainage and continues north to northeasterly to Shadow Lake at a steady grade of about fifteen to twenty percent. This trail is rough and a topographic map and compass are recommended.
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Sun Rock: Follow the directions to the Van Vleck Trailhead. Follow the Bassi Loop trail approximately 0.7 miles to the intersection of the Sun Rock trail on the right (west). The trail heads west and takes you to the southern base of Sun Rock. The trail has an easy grade with a few short climbs and descents. The trail ends at a logged over area on the western side of Sun Rock. You can follow the logging road out of the logging site and intersect with the chip seal road heading into the Van Vleck area.
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Two Peaks: Follow the directions for the Bassi Loop trail and turn right (south) at the junction with the Two Peaks trail near Bassi Fork. Cross Bassi Fork and head southeasterly toward Two Peaks. The trail follows the north edge of a large meadow at an easy gradient of zero to two percent. As you leave the meadow the trail climbs at a grade of about twenty-five to thirty percent for approximately one mile. Keep an eye out for the blazes and cairns marking the trail. The trail climbs to the northeast side of Two Peaks at the base but does not go to the top of the peaks. A cross-country climb on the granite to the top is worth the great view of Union Valley and the Crystal Basin. The trail beyond this point is in poor shape and a topographic map and compass are recommended. The trail is maintained to the private property boundary west of the Barrett Lake Jeep Trail.
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USDA Forest Service - Eldorado National Forest
Last Modified: Monday, 24 January 2005 at 20:07:42 EST