Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest
South St. Vrain Trail #909

Beaver Reservoir Road (County Road 96) to (one way):

• Sourdough Trail: 3.1 miles
• Brainard Lake: 5.9 miles
Elevations:

• Beaver Reservoir Road 96: 8,700'
• Sourdough Trail: 9,600'
• Brainard Lake: 10,400'

Season of Heaviest Use: May through November (open year round)

Actual Use: Moderate

Rating: Easiest to More Difficult

USGS Maps: Ward and Gold Hill Quads

Trailhead Location: The east end of the South Saint Vrain Trail is just across the bridge on County Road 96 from Highway 72, 15 miles north of Nederland and seven miles south of the intersection of Highway 7 and 72, east of the Tahosa Boy Scout Camp. The west end is just north of Brainard Lake on the Mitchell Creek Trailhead spur road, five miles up the Brainard Lake Road that turns off Highway 72 just north of Ward.

Be careful around the Brainard Lake Recreation Area because of day use fees.

From County Road 96, the South Saint Vrain Trail #909 climbs west along South Saint Vrain Creek, sometimes following the creek quite closely and sometimes circling away from it. About two miles in, the trail follows an old road for a little while, then turns off to the right (north) and climbs to avoid private property. At the top, it crosses an old road with non-Forest Service signs to the Stapp Lakes. The Stapp Lakes are on private property with no public access.

Soon after dropping back down, the South St. Vrain Trail passes a cut-off to the Sourdough Trail on the right (north). In another quarter mile, the Sourdough Trail comes in from the left (south) across a bridge over South St. Vrain Creek. The Sourdough Trail runs together with the South St. Vrain Trail for a mile, then takes a turn off to the right (north), after the trails leave the main creek. The South St. Vrain Trail continues along a little ridge for another mile to an intersection with the Waldrop North Ski Trail.

The Waldrop Trail is a ski trail that doesn't have a maintained trail for hiking. What there is of a trail drops down and crosses a creek, then the Brainard Lake Cutoff Trail forks left (south). It leads to the outlet of Brainard Lake in about 0.6 miles. In another half a mile, another ski trail turns off to the left (south). The South St. Vrain Trail crosses a meadow for 1/4 mile to reach the road. It hits the Mitchell Lake Trailhead spur road off the Brainard Lake Road on the north edge of the swamp along Mitchell Creek.