From the town of Gardner, located northwest of Walsenburg, take Colorado 69 west for approximately half a mile, then turn west onto County Road 550. The trailhead is 22+ miles from this point. Start measuring mileage here:
At 7.0 miles, the road turns to dirt.
At 11.8 miles, stay left on Forest Road 580.
At 15.7 miles, stay left at the entrance to the Singing River ranch. The road becomes narrow, but usually still 2WD with good clearance.
At 16.7 miles, pass the entrance to the Aspen River ranch.
At approx. 20 miles, reach the the west side of large, landslide area where the road was re-routed in 2016. After this point, there's a steep section that requires 4WD.
Continue 2 miles on the rough, narrow road to reach the Lily Lake TH. There are dispersed camping spots along this section.
Notes
Do not attempt to get anywhere near the trailhead if you have a low clearance 2WD. The road is usually rough 2WD to the west side of the landslide area, 20 miles in and 2 miles from the trailhead. From there, 4WD/AWD/Good Clearance is required to reach the Lily Lake trailhead at 10,700'. 4WD may be required in spring when large puddles and mud are present.
Trailhead Status Updates
Most Recent Update 11/3/2026:
Road closed due to flooding 8.5 miles from Lily Lake TH.
Usually closed near the Singing River Ranch, far below the trailhead.
Trailhead Facilities & Fees
Parking: Room for ~10 vehicles at the trailhead but other places to pull off the road. Camping: Dispersed camping at the pull-offs on the road. Restrooms: No Fees: No
More Photos
Start of the trail on the south side of the parkin...
