Granite Ridge West / Molly Lake Trail

If you're after big views without a big fight, the west end of Granite Ridge is one of the friendliest walks near Red Feather Lakes. It rides an old roadbed the whole way — wide, easy to follow, and about as level as trails get out here — through an open, sun-dappled forest of ponderosa pine, quaking aspen, and a little Douglas-fir, with lodgepole crowding in near the trailhead. The tread is sandy, gravelly, and rocky by turns, and well drained by a string of old metal culverts, so it stays walkable from mid-April clear into late October. In the first half-mile a few faint side paths branch off; stay on the obvious roadbed and you can't go wrong.

At about ¾ mile a short spur cuts north to Molly Lake — really a shallow two-acre pond ringed with rock outcroppings, pretty in a low-key way, though its north shore is private land, so don't wander off-trail or camp there. Past the lake the trail slips under a big power line, meets the Elkhorn Creek Trail around mile 1.4, and threads a couple of large metal gates and quiet meadows before ending at the Lady Moon Trail near mile 3.7. A couple of honest notes: there's no water along the ridge itself (fill up before you go), and bikes share the tread from July through October, so keep an ear out. It's an easy out-and-back or a fine ski or snowshoe once the snow settles — just know the parking lot isn't plowed.

Trail Facts

Getting There

From Ted's Place, drive north on US-287 for 10.5 miles to “The Forks” at Livermore. Turn left onto the Red Feather Lakes Road (CR-74E) and follow it to the community of Red Feather Lakes. Just west of the Pot Belly Restaurant, turn south onto CR-69 (gravel) and go 2.1 miles to the Molly Lake (aka Granite Ridge) Trailhead, on the east (left) side of the road just north of the access road to Bellaire Lake Recreation Area campsites #6–12. Toilets and stock-trailer parking at the trailhead, but no water; the small circle lot fits small to medium trailers. The lot isn't plowed in winter.

Know Before You Go

• Carry your own water. The ridge is dry the whole way — Molly Lake is the only water, and it's a shallow pond you shouldn't rely on. Fill up before you start.
• Bikes share the trail Jul–Oct. Bicycles are allowed July 1 through October 31 (and prohibited the rest of the year); e-bikes and all motorized use are prohibited year-round.
• Dogs under voice control. No leash required, but your dog must respond to voice commands at all times.
• Respect the private land at Molly Lake. The pond's north shore is private property — stay on the trail and don't camp there.
• Weed-free feed for stock. Horses and pack stock must be fed only pellets or certified weed-free hay throughout the trip (starting 72 hours before) to avoid spreading noxious weeds.
• Camp smart. No camping or fires within ¼ mile of the trailhead except in designated sites; elsewhere, camp at least 100 ft from the trail and any water.
• A fine winter route. With so little elevation change the old roadbed skis and snowshoes well, but it isn't marked for snow travel and the lot isn't plowed — and the spur to Molly Lake can be hard to find under snow.

On the Trail

Photos © Red Feather Lakes Travel Guide — shot on the trail.