Corral Creek Trail

Corral Creek is one of those short trails that matters more for where it takes you than for its own length. It runs about a mile and a half of dirt tread through the timber at the upper end of the Poudre Canyon, in the country the Canyon Lakes Ranger District manages between the river and the high wilderness. It's open to hikers and to riders on horseback — no bikes, no motorcycles, no ATVs — so it keeps the hushed, hoof-and-boot feel of a real backcountry approach rather than a busy front-country loop.

Think of it as a doorway. This is the kind of trail people use to step off the highway and into the bigger country beyond — the Comanche Peak Wilderness to the south and the Rawah high lakes to the west, up along the Laramie River corridor. Because it's genuinely remote, come prepared and check current conditions with the Canyon Lakes Ranger District before you go: trailhead access, seasonal closures, and creek crossings all change with the year up here.

Trail Facts

Getting There

Off CO-14 at the upper end of the Poudre Canyon, in the country near the Long Draw Road (FR 156) junction and Chambers Lake. This is remote, high-country access — confirm the trailhead on the map and check the road and trail status with the Canyon Lakes Ranger District before heading up, especially outside of summer.

Know Before You Go

• Hike and horse only. COTREX lists this trail open to foot and stock travel — no bikes, motorcycles, or ATVs — so plan for a quiet, non-motorized approach.
• Dogs on leash. Keep dogs leashed here, both for wildlife and for the stock riders who use this trail.
• A gateway, not a destination. At about 1.4 miles it's most useful as part of the larger upper-Poudre trail network reaching toward the Comanche Peak Wilderness and the Rawah country.
• Check current conditions. This is remote, high country managed by the Canyon Lakes Ranger District — confirm trailhead access, seasonal closures, and creek crossings before you go.