Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest
Coney Lake Trail #914

From Beaver Reservoir to Coney Flats Trailhead: (one way)

• Coney Flats Trailhead: 3.4 miles
• Coney Lake Trail: 3.7 miles
• Coney Lake: 5.9 miles

Elevations:

• Beaver Creek Trailhead: 9,200'
• Coney Flats Trailhead: 9,800'
• Coney Lake: 10,600'

Season of most use: June through October (open year round)

Use: Heavy to extremely heavy

Rating: More difficult

USGS Maps: Ward and Allenspark Quads

Trailhead Location: To reach the Coney Flats Trailhead, turn off of Highway 72 onto County Road (CR) 96, about two and a half miles north of the town of Ward, or seven and a half miles south of the intersection of Highways 72 and 7. Turn west on CR 96 and go about two miles on a well-maintained gravel road to Beaver Reservoir. Very limited parking is available on the north side of Beaver Reservoir where National Forest System Road (NFSR) 507 takes off from CR 96. Hike approximately 3.4 miles to the Coney Flats Trailhead. This hike follows the four-wheel drive road, NFSR 507, for 1.5 miles. The hiking trail then follows an abandoned two-track road for 1.2 miles before rejoining the road. It is 0.6 miles more to the Coney Flats Trailhead. Hike within the old road bed and respect the private land you pass through. If you have a four-wheel drive vehicle with high clearance you can continue on NFSR 507 (Coney Creek Rd.) four miles from Beaver Reservoir, to the Coney Flats Trailhead. This is a very rocky and often muddy road. It is not recommended for vehicles pulling horse trailers. The last quarter-mile of road fords two branches of Coney Creek, which can be waist deep and fast-moving in the spring. There are footbridges for hikers. From the Coney Flats Trailhead, NFSR 507 continues northwestward to join up with NFSR 114 (Middle St. Vrain Road) to Camp Dick Campground. The road between Coney Flats Trailhead and NFSR 114 is very rough and for experienced four-wheel drivers only. The Coney Flats Trailhead is also a good jumping off point for the Buchanan Pass Trail #910.

The Coney Lake Trail turns south off the Beaver Creek Trail about a quarter-mile west of the Coney Flats Trailhead. It parallels the Beaver Creek Trail on a long-abandoned jeep trail through a meadow for another quarter mile, then you have to ford Coney Creek.The jeep trail grows steeper as the trail enters the woods of the Coney Creek Drainage. Just before the jeep trail ends, the trail takes off to the right and circles the far north side of a little pond. The last half-mile of the trail passes through brushy willows and small trees and can be hard to find. One hint is to stay right (north) of the buttress that divides the valley. Upper Coney Lake is about a mile above Coney Lake. You'll have to bushwhack up the drainage through the willows as no formal trail exists to the upper lake (10,500'), which lies below the steep, north slope of Mt. Audubon (13,223').

Backcountry camping in the Indian Peaks Wilderness is by permit only. Contact the Boulder Ranger District (303-541-2500) for information.