Doing a random search for waterfalls near Lake City, Colorado, I came across Nellie Creek Falls. Researching a bit more, the length of the trip to the falls was anywhere from .5 to 2.2 miles?! Well, bring extra water, be sure to take hiking poles for an uphill rocky road, grab the camera, and let’s go see how far up it is to Nellie Creek Falls.
The falls is on County Road 23 and four-wheel drive vehicles are strongly recommended. No 4×4? It is suggested you hike. My SUV is high clearance, but not 4-wheel drive so we are hiking.
Co Rd 23 is off County Road 20, a main road on the Alpine Loop which connects Lake City, Ouray, and Silverton. The Loop covers about 65 miles. They suggest you plan on seven hours to complete the entire loop. Most of the Loop is dirt, gravel, and rocks so you best have or rent an ATV, hefty dirtbike, or other off-road vehicle. The views are supposed to be amazing!
Co Rd 23 is only 4 miles long, ending at a trailhead for hikes high into the mountains. The road doesn’t seem bad here but it is getting narrow. Come on, let’s see how long it will take us to get to the falls.
Whoa, turn the corner and really glad to be hiking. I could not turn my SUV around on this road if I did a 30-point turn! It’s delightful to be walking along the creek. Well, up we go and watch your step!
Many of the comments online said Nellie Creek Falls is small, but I hope not this small.
July is when the Colorado mountains are covered with flowers, but mid-June is giving us some nice surprises. The Mountain Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) is starting to bloom.
The Sticky Purple Geraniums (Geranium viscosissimum) will bloom all summer.
Heartleaf Bittercress (Cardamine cordifolia) are all along the creek.
Western Red Columbine (Aquilegia elegantula) are just starting to bloom. There will be many more flowers on this huge mat of columbine plants come mid-July.
A Heartleaf Arnica (Arnica cordifolia), in the aster family. The flowers are between 2-3 inches across.
This is a first for me, a Woolly Groundsel (Packera cana).
We have hiked up just over .8 mile and there it is, across the creek in the woods. This two-stage falls is not small, I guesstimate between 30-40 feet high. It sure is lovely. Let’s just enjoy for a while.
Whoa! Always pays to turn around and see the view. The only deciduous trees here are aspens. It must be glorious in the autumn! Think I’m talking myself into a September revisit.
Well, here we go back down, and watch your step!
This is one serious rock garden–moss, lichen, trees, shrubs, grasses, and flowers just beginning to pop.
Ah, a butterfly, Green Comma (Polygonia faunus).
Trees never give up, even if they have to grow in rock.
Let’s get a closer look. A fir tree reaching out and finding rock cracks to get to nourishing dirt. It has been successful for a long time!
As we get close to hike’s end, the view opens a bit to the mountains beyond. We are in the San Juan Mountains which cover about 1.8 million acres in southwest Colorado. It is a high, rugged mountain range with hundreds of peaks above 13,000 feet and 13 above 14,000 feet. Our hike took us to about 9,500 feet. The view is pretty good from down here!
What a beautiful morning in the mountains! Until next time my friend . . .
Love this virtual wilderness walk with you. Love the Columbine shot. Nature is incredible through your lens!
Thank you so much my friend!