Pike National Forest
Rosalie Trail #603

This moderately difficult, 13.4 mile trail sees most of its visitors in the summer and fall. The trail crosses the Mt. Evans Wilderness from Guanella Pass to the Deer Creek Trailhead, just above the Deer Creek Campground.

Elevations:

• Trail beginning: 11,670'
• High Point: 11,800'
• Trail ending: 9,280'

Access: The western trailhead is at the summit of Guanella Pass. The eastern trailhead is at Deer Creek Trailhead, about 8.9 miles northwest of the traffic light on US 285 at Crow Hill.

Notes: This is a very popular trail that connects with the Abyss Lake Trail, Tanglewood Trail and Threemile Creek Trail in its journey across the Mt. Evans Wilderness. The trail leads south out of the parking lot at Guanella Pass. It wanders above treeline and back again but then slowly descends into the willows that line Scott Gomer Creek (follow the markers or turn around and go back to your car - these willows are famous for being nasty). You'll cross Scott Gomer Creek, rise to a low saddle and then drop again into an unnamed drainage where the trail eventually merges with the Abyss Lake Trail for a short distance. Not too far down, the Abyss Lake Trail will split off to the right and return to its trailhead while the Rosalie Trail continues to the southeast.

The trail will then get steep in spots as it climbs through an ancient glacial moraine with some great views of Mt. Bierstadt and Mt. Evans' southern cliffs. Once you've crested the moraine, the trail drops down to an intersection with the Threemile Trail. Threemile Trail goes south to Threemile Creek while the Rosalie Trail continues southeasterly into the Deer Creek drainage. Almost to the wilderness boundary, the Rosalie will rise away from the creek and go north to an old logging road, following that to an intersection with the Tanglewood Trail. At that point, the Tanglewood Trail follows Tanglewood Creek to the north (and eventually to the Roosevelt Lakes Trail) while Rosalie goes downstream to the south, to the Deer Creek Trailhead.

USGS Maps: Harris Park, Mt. Evans