Mitchell Lakes Trail
Durango to TH
15 Miles
Gain
2850 Feet
Condition
Poor
Region
Trail Length
8.2 Miles
Photo courtesy of Debra Van Winegarden
Mitchell Lakes Trail
Part of the Hermosa Area Trail System.
Located just 15 miles north of Durango along Highway 550, the Mitchell Lakes Trail starts at County Road 250 at the bottom of Old Shalona Hill. Open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers, Mitchell Lakes Trail is a great spring trail as snow is generally gone by late April.
You can segue onto the Pinkerton-Flagstaff Trail and climb to Hermosa Ridge where you can continue to the top of Point 9,564′. This route is 8.2 miles with 2,850 feet of vertical gain.
For a more moderate hike, stop shy of the ridge and explore Mitchell Lakes. this route is 7.4 miles with 1,900 feet gain.
For more information on Mitchell Lakes Trail, check out this article by our trail friend Debra Van Winegarden.
Map & Directions
Map Coordinates: 37.456886217497335, -107.80308958473987
Where's the Trailhead?
dIRECTIONS TO TRAILHEAD
Mitchell Lakes Trailhead
From Durango, travel north on U.S. Highway 550. Pass the town of Hermosa and drive over four rollers, the “Four Sisters.” Pinkerton Hot Springs (“Bubbling Rock”) is at the top of the Fourth Sister.
Continue for 0.2 mile and turn right on La Plata County Road 250. The road makes a sharp hairpin to the right then hooks back left. It splits just before Riverside KOA, 0.2 mile from the highway. Make a sharp left (while watching for bicyclists!) onto “Old Shalona Hill.”
In 0.1 mile, park in a wide turnout on the left. The Mitchell Lakes Trail goes west up Forest Service Road 740, a technical track not suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles.
Trailwork
help build our trails!
Thursday, September 12 Trailwork
Join us for a weekday trailwork party at [location TBD]. Thank you for volunteering with Trails 2000 at our trailwork party on Thursday, September 12 from 4:30 to 7:30pm!
