Trails · Estes Park & the Big Thompson
Lion Gulch Trail
The gateway to Homestead Meadows — a creekside climb up a green mountain gulch to a high park scattered with century-old homestead cabins, on the National Register of Historic Places.
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Lion Gulch is the way in to one of the most quietly remarkable places in the Estes Park country. From the trailhead on US-36 — about 7 miles east of Estes Park, 13 miles west of Lyons — the trail drops to Lion Gulch creek and then climbs alongside it, roughly three miles and a thousand-plus feet, through a shady canyon of pine, aspen, and rock. It's a working, honest trail: the catastrophic 2013 floods tore out its tread and every bridge along the gulch, and it stayed closed until crews rebuilt it and reopened it in 2017.
Up top the canyon opens into Homestead Meadows, a broad mountain park where eight families proved up homesteads between 1889 and 1923 — and where their weathered cabins, barns, and fences still stand. The Griffith Homestead sits about 3.3 miles from the trailhead, with the Brown (~4.3 mi) and Boren (~4.8 mi) places farther in. It's managed by the Roosevelt National Forest (Canyon Lakes Ranger District), open to hikers, horses, and mountain bikes; leashed dogs are welcome. Carry water — the creek is seasonal and should be treated.
Trail Facts
Difficulty
Moderate
Length
~3 mi to the meadows (farther among the homesteads)
Elevation
7,276 → 8,552 ft
Elevation Gain
~+1,280 ft
Uses
Hike · Horse · Bike
Bikes
Allowed
Stock / Horse
Allowed
Dogs
Allowed (on leash)
Season
Late spring–fall
Manager
USFS Canyon Lakes (Larimer County trailhead)
Getting There
From Estes Park, take US-36 east about 7 miles (13 miles west of Lyons); the Lion Gulch Trailhead parking lot is on the south side of the highway. It's a popular lot that fills on summer weekends, so arrive early. No water at the trailhead — carry your own.
| 0.0 mi | Lion Gulch Trailhead (US-36) — drop to the creek |
| 0.5–2.5 mi | Climb the gulch alongside the creek (rebuilt after the 2013 flood) |
| ~3.0 mi | Enter Homestead Meadows |
| 3.3 mi | Griffith Homestead |
| 4.3–4.8 mi | Brown & Boren Homesteads (farther into the meadows) |
Know Before You Go
- Leave the history as you found it. The homestead cabins and artifacts are protected — look, photograph, but never remove or disturb anything (it's a federal offense).
- Rebuilt after 2013. The flood destroyed the tread and bridges; the trail reopened in 2017 — expect creek crossings that can run high in spring melt.
- Dogs on leash. This is National Forest, so leashed dogs are welcome — pack out waste.
- Popular trailhead. The US-36 lot fills on summer weekends — start early.
- Carry water. The creek is seasonal; bring your own and treat any you draw.
Built by Many Hands — Give a Little Back
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Shop the Collection →These trails don't tend themselves either. Every mile is watched over by volunteers and public stewards we lean on to bring you this guide — if you love these mountains, please pitch in for them too:
- Poudre Wilderness Volunteers — trail patrols & the official trail description Donate →
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife / COTREX — the mapped trail route & statewide trail data Donate →
- Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest (USFS) — the public land itself Support →
- OpenStreetMap contributors — the Street basemap Donate →
- Google & USGS — trailhead location, ratings & topographic maps
Trail details compiled by the Red Feather Lakes Travel Guide from the sources above. Photography by us — more of our own trail images coming as we hike them.