Question about Naylor Lake Rd.

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rking007
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Question about Naylor Lake Rd.

Post by rking007 »

Was just looking at the map of co 381/Naylor Lake Rd and I was wondering if you are allowed to drive all the way to the lake and park or is the parking lot just below that area the furthest allowed? I see from the satellite image there are a few building there. Is this private property except for the trail itself? Thanks to anyone who's been up there. Wanna hit the trio of 13ers this Sunday. Thanks, as always, in advance.

Russ
- Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.
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mikemalick
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Re: Question about Naylor Lake Rd.

Post by mikemalick »

Russ,

Everything I have heard is that the whole lake and the immediate area around it is private property. I was just up there a couple weeks ago and parked at that parking area that you saw in the satellite image a little below the lake. Right across from that parking area is the actual trailhead...the Silver Dollar Lake trailhead. I started on that trail and then found a nice spot to jump off to hit the ridgeline early and follow that up to Squaretop Mountain. From up higher looking back down to Naylor Lake, you can see some homes right there near where the road ends at the lake so that is another reason I believe you are not supposed to drive the road all the way to the lake.

Hope that helps.

-Mike
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Chicago Transplant
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Re: Question about Naylor Lake Rd.

Post by Chicago Transplant »

Yes, the whole lake is private and has several cabins around it, the Silver Dollar trail parking is the best place to park. If you want to climb all three, start with Squaretop via the Silver Dollar trail and then traverse to Argentine and then Wilcox. You can descend Wilcox by heading pretty much due east from the summit and then slightly southeast to the small flat area that shows up on the topo maps around 11,600. We then dropped pretty much straight to our car at the trailhead at 11,200 in an ESE direction. Going down that way we did not see any fences or signs, so I think we successfully made it around all of the private land! You could do 4 peaks by adding on Otter (ranked 12er nearby) and from it descend to the basin between Otter and Wilcox then south to the trailhead from the ponds that are around 11,300 on the topo.
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Alpine
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Re: Question about Naylor Lake Rd.

Post by Alpine »

As a related point of interest for those concerned about the access road - we were just up there yesterday. I had thought from something I read that the road was four-wheel drive or at least high-clearance. I didn't know otherwise so parked our mini-van at the paved parking just off the Guanella Pass road, but found after walking that I could have driven to the Silver Dollar Lake tailhead very easily.

By the way, the SDL trail and lake area is very beautiful in the fall.

Saw a herd of 15+ mountain goats to the NE of Naylor Lake.
"You know I've always loved you...and you know I always will." Third Day
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