Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest
Buchanan Pass Trail #910

Buchanan Pass Trailhead to: (one way)

• Middle Saint Vrain 4x4 Trailhead: 3.8 miles
• Saint Vrain Glaciers: 8.4 miles
• Red Deer Lake: 6.9 miles
• Buchanan Pass: 9.1 miles
Middle Saint Vrain 4x4 Trailhead to:

• Saint Vrain Glaciers: 4.6 miles
• Red Deer Lake: 3.1 miles
• Buchanan Pass: 5.3 miles

Elevations:

• 8,600' at Buchanan Pass Trailhead
• 10,372' at Red Deer Lake
• 11,200' below the Saint Vrain Glaciers
• 11,837' at Buchanan Pass

This trail sees heavy to extremely heavy use June through October (open year round) and is rated as More to Most Difficult

USGS Maps: Allenspark and Isolation Peak quads

Trailhead Location: The Buchanan Pass Trailhead is at the west end of the Camp Dick Campground. Camp Dick is one mile west of the Peaceful Valley Campground, accessed off of Highway 72 at mile-marker 50. This is approximately four miles south of the intersection of Highways 7 and 72. Turn west onto National Forest System Road (NFSR) at Peaceful Valley and drive through the Peaceful Valley and Camp Dick Campgrounds. The section of the road to Camp Dick is paved but has large speed bumps. Limited parking is available in the lot at the west end of Camp Dick. In a four-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance, you can drive 3.6 miles further on NFSR 114 (Middle St. Vrain Rd.). This is a rough four-wheel-drive-only road, closed from late October through late June or early July. This road parallels the Buchanan Pass Trail on the south side of the Middle St. Vrain Creek and provides access to the Middle St. Vrain Trailhead. Park at the end of the road, cross the creek on the footbridge and hike the old road 100 yards to the Buchanan Pass Trail.

From the Middle St. Vrain Trailhead, the Buchanan Pass Trail #910 parallels the north side of the Middle St. Vrain Creek. It is a gradual climb, from 8,600 feet to 9,800 feet over 3.8 miles, to the Middle St. Vrain 4x4 Trailhead. The first half mile of the trail is day-use only. The next three miles are open to dispersed camping and no permits are required. Check with the Boulder Ranger District office regarding possible campfire restrictions.

At the Middle St. Vrain 4x4 Trailhead, the Buchanan Pass Trail picks up an old road which follows the creek on a gentle uphill grade. Within a short distance, it comes into a large meadow with fine views of Elktooth. The Indian Peaks Wilderness boundary is 0.6 miles to the west of the Middle St. Vrain 4x4 Trailhead. Backcountry permits are required for camping within the Indian Peaks Wilderness. At the wilderness boundary, the Buchanan Pass Trail intersects the St. Vrain Mountain Trail #915, which heads uphill to the northeast. The Buchanan Pass Trail continues up-valley for another 0.9 miles before intersecting the St. Vrain Glacier Trail #917. Right after the intersection, the Buchanan Pass Trail crosses the creek on a narrow bridge and hooks to the south, heading down-valley on an old pack trail that ascends the slope for 1.1 miles to the 0.6 mile spur trail to Red Deer Lake (elevation 10,372'). Another 0.8 miles past the Red Deer spur trail, after crossing into the next valley, the Buchanan Pass Trail meets the Beaver Creek Trail #911 1.6 miles west of the Coney Flats Trailhead. From there, the Buchanan Pass Trail climbs more steeply west to Buchanan Pass (elevation 11,837') at the Continental Divide. The northeast-facing pass can hold some very hard and icy snow late into the summer. In very late snow years, the pass retains snow all summer. Continuing westward on the Buchanan Pass Trail for another 10 miles, you would reach the Monarch Lake Trailhead. The Buchanan Pass Trail takes you through spruce/fir woodlands and riparian meadows, and offers spectacular views of rugged peaks and majestic alpine lakes and meadows. Note: The Red Deer Lake Cut-Off Trail, shown on the Allenspark quad, no longer exists.

The first one-half mile of trail west from the trailhead at Camp Dick campground is day-use only.

Permits are required for camping along this trail within the Indian Peaks Wilderness boundary June 1 through September 15.