Finch Lake Trail System

The Finch Lake Trailhead is located about 1,000 feet east of the bridge that crosses North St. Vrain Creek to Wild Basin Ranger Station. Look for an identification sign on the left-hand (south) side of the road. An even better starting point for a hike to Finch Lake is the Allens Park Trailhead (see page 135).

From the Finch Lake Trailhead, the trail climbs steadily eastward through heavy forest along a lateral moraine. The trees disappear at the top of the moraine where the path switchbacks toward the west, nearly 1.0 mile from the trailhead. The path passes on a level grade through aspens and lodgepole pines and then runs gradually downhill to an intersection with trails from Meadow Mountain Ranch (on the park’s eastern border) and the little town of Allenspark.

Take the trail farthest right (north), continue through an aspen grove, and resume climbing via wide switchbacks. Visible to the right (north) across Wild Basin are Chiefs Head, Pagoda Mountain, and Mount Meeker. The bulk of Meeker hides all but a corner of Longs Peak.

Another intersection is reached 2.3 miles from the trailhead. For its mysterious power to baffle hikers, this spot is dubbed Confusion Junction. The trail on the right descends for 1.5 miles to Calypso Cascades (see Ouzel Falls Trail System), passing through 1978 burn areas as it approaches the cascades. The trail on the left starts out uphill but soon drops through thick woods to meet the Allens Park Trail, coming from the previous intersection. The Allens Park Trailhead is 1.6 miles from Confusion Junction.

Follow the middle path along a mostly moderate grade to Finch Lake. At 0.25 mile from the junction, the trail crosses a fire corridor for another 0.25 mile. After crossing several streams, the way leads over a small ridge and down to Finch Lake, 4.5 miles from the trailhead. Finch is often calm enough to reflect Copeland Mountain. The best photo may be had from just off-trail on the eastern shore of the lake.

The trail goes around Finch Lake on the northern side. The 2.0 miles of uphill trail from Finch to Pear Lake are pretty but rather steep and sloppy in places. Snow there lasts far into the summer. When it finally does melt, excellent flower displays spring up in response to the abundant water.

The trail reaches Pear Lake at the best place for taking photos of the always dramatic Ouzel Peak. (In 1988 the National Park Service bought Pear Lake from the city of Longmont and lowered the surface to its natural level; the resulting “bathtub ring” between reservoir and natural levels could cause some photo problems.) A sheer-faced ridge of Copeland Mountain will add a share of drama to the picture. Follow the path as it bears left along the southeastern shore. Rare dwarf columbine hide among the rocks along the trail, roughly 100 yards past the lake.

The trail is not maintained beyond Pear Lake, but it is obvious nonetheless to the lowest of the Hutcheson Lakes, in the Cony Creek drainage. These lakes also can be reached via the Middle St. Vrain Trail System (see East of the Divide chapter in the Indian Peaks section).

Stay north of and higher than the lowest Hutcheson Lake, and continue up the drainage. The way is marshy in places and lined with krummholz in others. At the largest of the Hutcheson Lakes, the tree line setting is spectacular, with Ogalalla Peak rising in the background.

Cross the outlet of the largest Hutcheson Lake and angle uphill on the left-hand (south) side. Follow Cony Creek upstream from where it tumbles over a cliff into the lake. Circle with the creek around a buttress jutting from the south, and walk across rocks and tundra to Cony Lake. Situated high above tree line, Cony Lake is devoid even of bushes. Its shore is more tundra than rock, and glacier-sculpted peaks rise directly from the water. The entire effect makes a very fine photo. Rocks or hiking companions in the foreground will add interest to the rather plain shoreline.