ArtCentrics

Description: Views are non-stop from start to end of this hike.  Part of the Colorado trail, go as far as you want.  Steepest section of this trail is just over two miles at a 6% grade, then the hike bumps along from there.  Views are 8/10 throughout the whole hike.  Probably the hike with the most bang for the least work.  Optional variation at about 3.3 miles into the hike you can might be able to head east and hit the Spencer Peak & Sultan Peak trail, a real challenge at about 3,000' elevation gain.

Drive to Hike (from Durango): 1:17 / 54 miles
Driving Conditions: Paved (Highway 550)
Hike Type: There-N-Back
Length: 10.8* miles (Go as far as you want)
Starting Elevation: 10,900
Accumulated Elevation Gain (AEG): 1,480'
Sustained Grade: 6% for 2.1 miles
Map (PDF): Colorado trail Seg25 P-1.pdf
GPS Track Download: Colorado trail Seg25 P-1.gpx
AllTrails: Colorado Trail Segment 25

Description: Hell of a drive to get to the trailhead, but the views are spectacular (9/10) from start to when you decide to turn back on this hike.  If you don't feel like going up the 0.7 mile ramp at 16% grade to the rim of the valley you can hike around the  lake, or hike one of the other two trails for a bit.  If you do go up to the rim of the valley, you can continue bumping along the peaks of this trail with super views until you are ready to come back.  Views are non-stop on this hike..

Drive to Hike (from Durango): 1:00 / 26 miles (Drive is longer than indicated on Google Maps due to dirt road)
Driving Conditions: 4WD Road
Hike Type: There-N-Back
Length: 7.6* miles (Go as far as you want)
Starting Elevation: 11,600
Accumulated Elevation Gain (AEG): 1,750'
Sustained Grade: 16% for 0.7 miles
Map (PDF): Colorado Trail Seg 27 P-1.pdf
GPS Track Download: Colorado Trail Seg 27 P-1.gpx
AllTrails: Colorado Trail Segment 27

Description: It has been a long time since we did this hike, so I can't say that the discription will be completely accurate.  I don't remember this being overly steep except at a long waterfall area.  We did see some pika, and yellow belley marmets on this hike, there are four lakes you visit on this hike and some nice wide open fields.  Views are quite nice most of the hike, and the waterfall section is a long rolling cascading stream that flows down the side of a hill (if memory serves me right).  Looking at the elevation graph of this hike the fist 3 miles the elevation gain is from 10,800' to 12,550' at an average grade of 11%, so fairly steep.  I would rank views on this trail as 7/10.

Drive to Hike (from Durango): 1:45 / 57 miles
Driving Conditions: 4WD Road
Hike Type: Loop
Length: 8.8 miles
Starting Elevation: 10,900'
Accumulated Elevation Gain (AEG): 2,500'
Sustained Grade: 16% for 1.5 miles
Map (PDF): Highland Mary Lakes Loop.pdf
GPS Track Download: Highland Mary Lakes Loop.gpx
AllTrails: Highland Mary Lakes Loop

Description: This hike has a number of options starting with the "not-so hard" to "kick your butt".  The majority of the hike is quite reasonable starting at 10,700' with AEG 1,000' over a distance of 2.7 miles to a trail intersection with an average grade of 7%.  This section of hike goes through a forest with occasional glimpse of nice views until the end of this section where you end up on the side of the mountain at a 4 way intersection in a field with some really nice views(8/10) of Engineer mountain and the surrounding mountains.  At this point you can wonder around (there are two other trails here) or if you feel 10 foot tall and bullet proof you can go the extra 0.75 miles or so with an average grade of 35%, going  from 11,650' to over 12,500'.  Crawling your way up to the peak of Engineer mountain you will be treated to unparalleled views (10/10) of the surrounding area and mountains. 

Drive to Hike (from Durango): 0:45 / 35 miles
Driving Conditions: Paved
Hike Type: There-N-Back
Length: 5.4 / 7.5 miles (Go as far as you want)
Starting Elevation: 10,700'
Accumulated Elevation Gain (AEG): 1,000' / 2,500'
Sustained Grade: 7% for 2.7 miles / 35% for 0.75 miles
Map (PDF): Coal Bank Pass to Engineer Mnt Summit.pdf
GPS Track Download: Coal Bank Pass to Engineer Mnt Summit.gpx
AllTrails: Coal Bank Pass to Engineer Mountain Summit

Description: A butt burner.  Approach is steep and continuous for the first three miles at a grade of almost 16% going from 9,860 ft to 12,330.  Views are ok for the first 2.5 miles then are non-stop for the rest of the hike until the decent at about the same elevation.  The main attraction of the hike is Ice lake, a glacier lake that can be one of the most blue bodies of water you have ever seen (given the right conditions). Views past initial three miles are 10/10.

Drive to Hike (from Durango): 1:00 / 38 miles
Driving Conditions: Dirt road 2WD okay
Hike Type: Loop
Length: 8.2 miles
Starting Elevation: 9,850'
Accumulated Elevation Gain (AEG): 2,780'
Sustained Grade: 15% for 3 miles
Map (PDF): Ice Lake Basin Loop.pdf
GPS Track Download: Ice Lake Basin Loop.gpx
AllTrails: Ice Lake Basin Loop

Description: A nice hike with a variety of views.  The main feature of this hike is the Lizard Head rock formation that this hike comes to the base of.  Near the end of the hike the volcanic rock makes for a wide range of colors.  Hike is has a remarkable consistent grade (11%) for almost the whole hike.

Drive to Hike (from Durango): 1:00 / 38 miles
Driving Conditions: Paved
Hike Type: There-N-Back
Length: 8.1 miles
Starting Elevation: 10,000'
Accumulated Elevation Gain (AEG): 2,250'
Sustained Grade: 11% for 2 miles
Map (PDF): Cross Mountain Trail.pdf
GPS Track Download: Cross Mountain Trail.gpx
AllTrails: Cross Mountain Trail