Waterton Canyon vs. Indian Creek

[Uncle Joe]

How many people opt for the Indian Creek alternate vs. starting at Waterton Canyon? I'm hoping to start sectioning the CT this summer. I'd like to do the first 5 sections but time and opportunity may mean less. 6mi on the gravel road doesn't sound like fun, though, so I'd thought about the Indian Creek alternate. Do a lot of backpackers use this option or suck it up and just walk the road?

[saltysack]

How many people opt for the Indian Creek alternate vs. starting at Waterton Canyon? I'm hoping to start sectioning the CT this summer. I'd like to do the first 5 sections but time and opportunity may mean less. 6mi on the gravel road doesn't sound like fun, though, so I'd thought about the Indian Creek alternate. Do a lot of backpackers use this option or suck it up and just walk the road?

I can't see why anyone would want to start at WC...I've only seen a few videos of it and looks almost as bad as the 5+ mile road walk on collegiate east....I'm hoping to hike the CT this July with or without my pup think I'll try indian creek....


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[colorado_rob]

Waterton canyon is actually pretty cool, especially in the morning hours. That being said, the Roxborough Park approach is by far the best, with Indian creek being my least favorite. check out the Roxborough alternative, spectacular.

Edit: Oh yeah, just as with Waterton, dogs are not allowed in Roxborough. Stupid, I know, but those are the rules. Indian Creek is the dog-start way.

[colorado_rob]

Here are a couple Rox park pics.... the place is a red-rock wonderland. We hike in there 5-6 times a year. The first pic is just somewhere along the Carpenter peak trail, the second one is looking back towards Denver, with a long lens.

[Uncle Joe]

Here are a couple Rox park pics.... the place is a red-rock wonderland. We hike in there 5-6 times a year. The first pic is just somewhere along the Carpenter peak trail, the second one is looking back towards Denver, with a long lens.

Cool! Might just have to start there.

[saltysack]

Awesome pix! Gorgeous! If I'm dog free I'll start there!


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[Dogwood]

SOBO I'll also make the case for a Roxborough start. NOBO finishing at Waterton walking the road down always having the S Platte at your side stopping by the dam(kinda neat) and spying for Big Horn in the later afternoon

[colorado_rob]

SOBO I'll also make the case for a Roxborough start. NOBO finishing at Waterton walking the road down always having the S Platte at your side stopping by the dam(kinda neat) and spying for Big Horn in the later afternoon

Those are excellent reasons for waterton, either way. Strontia dam is pretty cool, you can feel the spray from the gate many times. I've probably been up waterton canyon literally 1000 times* seen big horn maybe 25% on the time.

*probabably more than that, actually. I worked 28 years 3/4 of a mile from start of canyon (lockheed martin) It was one of my go to lunch runs

[Dogwood]

I knew you weren't a bad guy. Engineer, employed by LHM, did runs at Waterton on your lunch break, doing the 50 state summits, hike with your wife, have some shweet backpacking experiences,...Now, if we can reduce your sugar consumption you'll be less irritable. Me, I was raised in NJ so my attitude and communication is something I have to always be aware of not being an overbearing A hole. That's at least what the GF and umm a few others have said.

[colorado_rob]

I knew yo...Now, if we can reduce your sugar consumption you'll be less irritable. Me, I was raised in NJ so my attitude and communication is something I have to always be aware of not being an overbearing A hole. That's at least what the GF and umm a few others have said.

True dat on the sugar thing! In "real life", that stuff really does make ya (me) kinda high strung, so yeah, I try to avoid it, except on the trail. And personally, I tend to like NJ folks, they tell it like it is! A good trait.... most of the time....

Anyway, back on topic, Waterton really is kinda cool, though when we do an actual thru on the CT, next year probably, we'll do the Roxborough thing, but then of course as I've said, we've both seen Waterton Canyon enough times now.

By the way, I lost count, but I've seen at rattlers up Waterton maybe 15-20 times.

[Dogwood]

There's a covered picnic table /open shelter descending Waterton Canyon on the right. I thought it was a named trail something like Rattlesnake Tr. Maybe, it was a trail up Mill Gulch. I only went up it about 1/2 miles. Have you ever explored it?

Watertown Canyon gets downplayed somewhat because it's a gravel road section at the end/beginning of a 500 mile + hike. It's actually kinda scenic if you wander around some during early morn or late afternoon when it's not blazing hot. After saying all that, at the end of one CT NOBO long section hike met a MBer being dropped of at the top of Waterton Canyon at Strontia Dam. Chatted it up to the point he said you know we have an extra bike if you want to ride down. With a big smile on my face "OH YEAH I THINK I'LL TAKE YOU UP ON THAT."

[LuckyMan]

Waterton is scenic and is where I saw the most wildlife on the CT, including bighorn sheep.

[hikeandbike5]

waterton canyon is pretty legit, and the official start.

[10-K]

I'm starting at Waterton Canyon.

[lonehiker]

Generally the first time I hike a trail I follow the official route. After that, no "rules" apply.

[colorado_rob]

Both alternatives are recognized by the CT Foundation, at least. "Official" seems to have a slightly different meaning out here than it does on, say, the AT. Maybe just my perception. Anyway, here's an excerpt from the CTF page:

"Waterton Canyon Alternative #1 – Indian Creek Trailhead

Some users desire an alternative to Waterton Canyon; maybe you'd rather travel on singletrack or maybe you have a pooch and want a route open to dogs. If you'd rather avoid the Waterton Canyon road section, you can choose the alternate trail approach to the East end of Segment 1 and begin instead at the Indian Creek Trailhead accessible via CO Hwy 67 west of Sedalia. From here you can travel 4.4 miles of single track, open to dogs, and connect to CT mile 7.9 at Lenny's Rest Bench in the middle of CT Segment 1 via the West Leg of the Indian Creek "Equestrian" Loop Trail. This is described on the CT Segment 1 Map entitled Single Track and Dogs Route" – click here to download.

Dog owners click here for the Dogs page on this site.

Waterton Canyon Alternative #2 – Roxborough State Park
Others looking for an alternative to the Waterton Canyon approach to the CT will appreciate Roxborough State Park, though they don't allow dogs, horses, bicycles, camping or overnight parking. Fees apply; last we checked they charged entry of $7.00 per vehicle. Still, the Roxborough approach involves very nice singletrack through scenic landscapes. Choosing the Roxborough start, begin walking up the Carpenter Peak Trail that begins about 0.6 miles from the visitor center. The distance to the top of Carpenter Peak is about 2.5 miles, all uphill. Right before the summit, there is a turnoff with a sign that reads "Colorado Trail and Waterton Canyon." Mileage from the sign to the CT near Strontia Springs Dam is about 3 miles. You may connect with the CT in Segment 1 at mile 6.4, turning left at the main road, although another route is possible that would connect you at CT Seg 1, mile 7.9, Lenny's Bench. The Roxborough start shortens Segment 1 by approximately one mile but you'll climb and descend more. The Carpenter Peak Trail is very well maintained, with good views, but the connector to The Colorado Trail has suffered some in recent years. The Roxborough start offers more shade than Waterton Canyon, but one should not count on finding water along the way. "

BTW, the connector trail from the Carpenter Peak trail to the CT is in great shape, not sure why the CTF says it has "suffered".... And for those starting in mid summer and can't get an early in the day start, Waterton can be hot-hot-HOT, so keep that in mind. The Carpenter Peak trail is mostly shaded and much cooler.

[lonehiker]

They are what they are, alternate starting points. If a person opts to use one of the alternates, for whatever reason, that is fine. I personally have always chosen to follow the official route the first time I hike a trail. My "rules" are by all means self-imposed. The post was intended to give the OP a, not only, perspective on selecting his starting point.

[colorado_rob]

They are what they are, alternate starting points. If a person opts to use one of the alternates, for whatever reason, that is fine. I personally have always chosen to follow the official route the first time I hike a trail. My "rules" are by all means self-imposed. The post was intended to give the OP a, not only, perspective on selecting his starting point.

I hear ya, basically HYOH, of course.

My point was, if a first time CT hiker chose one of the alternative starts and completed the CT, he would be considered a CT thru hiker by virtually everyone, whereas my perception is that if someone did a variant of the AT, say did the BMT vs. the southern AT in that region, he might not be considered an AT thru hiker. I could be wrong, just my perception.

I also consider an alternative start to be in the same category as choosing the CT west vs east route through the collegiate range. Some would go east side only (you?) given that the east side is the classic CT route.

Again, just my perception!

[lonehiker]

I also consider an alternative start to be in the same category as choosing the CT west vs east route through the collegiate range. Some would go east side only (you?) given that the east side is the classic CT route.

Again, just my perception!

Ya, I did the east side. But, I don't believe that the west side was recognized as the CT at that point (2012)? At least my reference materials didn't indicate that it was. Had both been recognized I probably would have still chosen the original official east route knowing that I would return at some point to do the new route. I am planning on hiking the loop this summer.

[Mags]

I think the fact that the CTF lists the alternate starting points themselves on their website means these points are "official"..whatever that term means FWIW.


Roxborough is the best starting point in my opinion for hikers. But the fees, hikers only, and no overnight parking nixes it for some I am guessing.


I think Rob is absolutely correct about the hiking culture of the AT vs other trails. To be fair, though, the BMT is a 300-mile alternate route vs only ~8 miles of the other alt routes at the CT start.