Homestead Meadows via Lions Gulch
29 March 2004
Here is a trail that takes you back in time. Homestead Meadows was once home to a handful of families trying to make a better life for themselves. Now-a-days, it is a wonderful hiking destination with a pleasant approach. You might want to plan this one for the spring or fall as summer days are a bit warm here.
Start at the Lions Gulch Trailhead which is at the 8 mile marker on highway 36 between Lyons and Estes Park, so a mere 8 miles from Estes Park. From Lyons, you need to go thru Pinewood Springs and past the cutoff to Big Elk Meadows. There is ample parking at the trailhead including room for vehicles with horse trailers.
Lions Gulch has even more history than homesteaders. It was also the home of Mountain Jim who Isabella Bird mentions in her book “A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains”. But this may be hearsay…in her book she does not mention Lion’s Gulch as his home; nor does the information signs at the trailhead indicate this was home to Mountain Jim. A good topic to research on another day.
Now for the trail: This trail could well be named ‘the trail of many crossings’ since it does cross the Little Thompson River that has it’s source in Homestead Meadows a number of times. You start downhill with a switchback. The distance is not far and soon you are at the bottom of the gulch and at the first bridge. Cross the bridge and continue. The trail, though there are no blazes or blue diamond designations is very distinct and easy to follow. Cross the 2nd bridge and climb uphill. The trail climbs about 1,300 feet over its course so expect many uphill sections. The overall route is a constant uphill but only seldom very steep in any one place. And, for the most part, you are always within sight and sound of the creek so it would be hard to get lost on this one! If you find yourself in an undefined area, turn around, as there is no place on the route where the trail becomes undefined.
Continue upward. You remain in the trees – mostly evergreen (ponderosa, pine, blue spruce) though groves of aspen are also plentiful. The trail winds up, across the creek and back again. The two bridges at the beginning are substantial; while the last few are split log crossing with the final crossings being rock hops. So you may get your feet wet.
The narrowest part of the gulch is at the bottom near the trail head and it gets wider and wider as you climb. Soon, the deep cut of the creek and fallen timber give way to a gentler wider bench and things become more and more meadow-like. Keep your eyes open as soon you will see the first signs of the homesteads in the form of 2 vehicles in the creek bed. The details of how they arrived here are unclear: Did they slide off the road into the creek one dark and stormy night…or is this the used car dumping ground?
Continue on and soon there is a trail junction. The left hand route takes you to 2 homesteads and Pierson Park. Straight ahead brings you to Homestead Meadows proper, a grand open meadow scattered with aspen groves. The way to the various homesteads are well marked.
The first homestead I always find intriguing, that of Sarah Walker, who took to homesteading after her husband and children died….a harsh life in a beautiful setting.
In The Shadow of Longs Peak