McCullough Gulch Trailhead

We went in September. The trail was rugged and a little hard to follow. The views were nice but not spectacular. There were not many Aspen trees to view. This may be a better hike for the flowers in the spring. The parking lot is almost 2 miles away from the trailhead.

Quiet trailhead just of the main highway. No restrooms. Great alternative scenic trail access for Quandary Peak, McCullough Gulch, and Mohawk/Mayflower Lakes areas.

We found this location just on a whim not expecting anything out of it but it was by far the best thing we have seen. The water and mountains just looked fake like a painting. On one side was the lake and on the other was snow, it was absolutely amazing. I recommend this to anyone coming to sightsee or just to find something peaceful. It was very very cold and windy but 100% worthy for what you see. Nature is beautiful and the best place you can find that is here.

Not too tough of a trail, beautiful when you reach the falls. 62 year old dad completed it with ease. Parking is interesting. There are about 3 parking spots at the actual trail head. If you don’t want to add an extra 2 miles to your hike, it might be worth it to drive down and see if there is a spot available. Otherwise you will have a calm 2 mile walk to the trail head from the free public parking lot.

Had a blast hiking this trail yesterday. Made it to the first lake and the views were great. Took a lot of breaks on the way up as it is quite strenuous. If you aren’t used to high altitude I would suggest bringing an oxygen can. We spent 5 hours here.

If you are an experienced hiker - or at least someone who has done a few higher altitude hikes, then do this one. It’s definitely not easy. The altitude makes it more challenging if you are someone like me who lives at sea level. I was huffing and puffing quite a bit, but I took lots of breaks and adapted quickly. I suggest a walking stick or poles for stability. The tail becomes very rocky and in some places you may think there’s no trail at all. It’s not marked well. I hiked to the falls and then to the first lake. It can be a full day adventure depending on your abilities. On the way back down I spotted a young couple off in a wooded area who were lost. I got them back on track and stayed with them until they were safely back at their car. If you are on the more adventurous side, tackle this one.

The views on this trail were amazing, but do not expect it to be easy. I initially read that it was a moderate hike, but it is definitely challenging. The view of the lake is worth it though!

This was the first hike I've done in Colorado. I went with some friends who were locals. And I certainly struggled on this hike when we got to 12000 feet because of the altitude. We ended up turning around because I was not doing well, so if you're not used to the altitude, don't expect to make it to the end 🤣. But all around such gorgeous views and very easly accused. We had some confusion on where we were allowed to park but aside from that all around great experience.