I migrated to southwestern Colorado to live nearly ten years ago. When I arrived I was neither a camper nor a hiker, but living so close to the great Rocky Mountains, practically forces one to learn to commune with nature. Since I have lived in this beautiful region, I have had the opportunity to explore some of the backcountry of the southern Rockies in a territory known as the Lizard Head Wilderness Area in the San Juan Mountain range.

The area is so named in reference to the awesome rock formation that purportedly resembles the head of a lizard; although you have to sort of squint to see that shape. It is a giant vertical spire that juts 300’ upward from a conical base to an elevation of 13,113 feet. The Lizard Head is visible to motorists traveling along Colorado hwy.145 between the towns of Dolores and Telluride. I had seen the landmark many times on my journeys to Telluride to ski with my family, but I never dreamed I would actually climb Blackface Mountain and stand within the shadow of the great Lizard Head.

Lizard Head Trail

Then, a few summers ago my good friend and I got on a hiking kick to get in shape. She was an experienced hiker and I was not. I was curious about the Lizard Head area, so I did some Internet research on the trails in the region and found a few I thought we could handle on our own. Our first expedition was a hike on the Lizard Head Trail. It is part of a system of trails that crisscross the region. They all seem to intersect one another at some point, so it seems conceivable that a person could spend a summer wondering around the backcountry of the San Juan National Forest. We only had one day, however, so we planned a trip up the trail and back along the same route.

The trailhead (U.S. Forest Service Road #409) is just off hwy. 145 about 40 miles northeast of Cortez and 10 miles south of Telluride at an elevation of 10,000 feet. There is a large parking area and restrooms at the base of the trailhead. The trail begins with slight slopes through mountain meadows, full of summer wildflowers. Then it begins to climb into the aspens. After some climbing through the trees, the trail opens up to some spectacular views of nearby Trout Lake, Sheep Mountain and Yellow Mountain.

Next, the trail really begins to climb through the first set of switchbacks. At the top of this climb lies a junction where the trail meets the Wilson Meadows Trail, which is a one way, two mile spur leading to more mountain meadows. Continuing on the Lizard Head Trail, there is a small meadow, then more switchbacks through dense pine and aspen trees up to Blackface ridge and an elevation of about 11,700 feet. Soon, the trail is at timberline as the traverse of the ridge continues. The trail becomes quite rugged as it is covered in the black shale of Blackface Mountain. Finally, just as I cannot believe I am climbing over the jagged stuff, I look out and realize we are at the summit and it feels like we are on top of the world, or as close to it as I’ve ever been.

The views are spectacular from the 12,147-foot elevation. We are within about two miles from the actual Lizard Head and all around us are the enormous Rocky Mountains. To the north is Sunshine Mountain, to the northwest is Cross Mountain and one of Colorado’s “fourteeners,” Wilson Peak is visible just beyond it. To the northwest is San Bernardo Mountain and we think we can see way into the distance to the edge of Telluride.

When we started our hike, I had no idea that we would end up so high. As we took in the amazing panoramic views, I realized that I was standing atop the black faced rock formations at the top of the peaks that I had seen so often from the road below. I was shocked that we were way up there. The pain of hiking those switchbacks was definitely worth it.

From the summit, there are several options for continued hiking. Lizard Head Trail continues on several more miles between Sunshine Mountain and Wilson Peak before it dead ends into the Wilson Mesa Trail, which eventually leads out of the Wilderness Area. It also junctions with the Bilk Creek Trail which runs north through the Silver Pick Basin or with the Cross Mountain Trail which treks south until it meets up with hwy.145 about a mile south of the main Lizard Head trailhead.

On our hike, we opted to go back the same way we came in so as to avoid the mile long highway walk, but theoretically, we could have just done the loop back to our starting point. All total, we hiked about 10 or 12 miles, depending on which trail guide you read and it took us about six hours total. The loop or the up and back version is about the same in distance and time.

Navajo Lake Trail

On another day, we chose to hike the Navajo Lake Trail (Forest Service Trail #635). Navajo Lake is a hidden mountain lake that sits at an elevation of 11,154 and is the headwaters for the Dolores River. It is also part of the Lizard Head Wilderness Area, but is a ways to the northwest of Lizard Head itself. We accessed the trail by turning off of hwy. 145 at Forest Service Road 535, otherwise known as the West Fork or Dunton Road, 13 miles north of Dolores. This road is a well-maintained gravel and dirt road that parallels the West Dolores River.

About twenty two miles down the road lies an old ghost town called Dunton, that is now a privately owned community. About a mile past Dunton is the Burro Bridge campground and one mile past that is the trailhead for the Navajo Lake Trail. There is ample parking at the base.

The hike is fairly easy to start at an elevation of 9,350 feet. The trail crosses the river shortly after the hike begins, then leads through wide-open meadows in a valley between the mountains. Soon, the climb begins. There are some steep stretches of switchbacks, but all along the way, the views are awesome.

At one point, we could see a waterfall known as the West Falls over a ridge. About halfway to the lake, there is a junction where the Kilpacker Trail meets up with the Navajo Lake Trail. The Kilpacker Trail circles back south and winds up at Morgan Camp. We continued on our route to the lake. Not far from the lake, the Woods Lake Trail, which leads to another high altitude lake, junctions with the trail.

The last part before arriving at the lake was pretty steep and winding, but alas, we made it to the lake. The altitude is so high that the landscape at ground level around the lake is green with conifers, but the basin walls that surround the lake are bare rock. The lake itself is fairly small, but pretty and clean, and although I don’t fish, I assume the fishing would be good.

Navajo Lake Trail actually continues on to the east and north of the lake where it intersects with the Bilk Creek trail mentioned above. Again, we planned a turn around trip, so we retraced our steps and returned to our starting point. Round trip, the hike was about six miles total.

Camping

If you want the full hiking and camping experience in the Lizard Head Wilderness Area, there are many great options. Along hwy.145 north of Dolores are several nicely maintained and equipped campgrounds.

Cayton Campground is closest to the Lizard Head Trail and it sits on the edge of the Dolores River. It is about three miles south of the trailhead. The fee is $8.00 and it has 27 sites and includes water, pit toilets and a dump station. Phone: 970-882-7296.

Matterhorn Campground is about eight miles north of Cayton on hwy.145. The fees are $12.00 to $16.00 and it features 28 sites, including some walk-in sites and RV sites. It also has water, showers and toilets. Phone: 970-327-4261.

Alta Lakes Campground is a little off the beaten path, but is my favorite in the area. If you want to get off the highway and feel like you are really camping in the woods, this is your spot. The turn off to the Alta Lakes is about three miles past the Matterhorn Campground. The road is a bit rugged and narrow, so no trailers or RV’s are recommended. Follow the road and signs and soon you’ll find yourself in Alta, an abandoned mining town. Follow the sign to Alta Lakes for a nice campground. It is not a forest service campsite, so there are no fees, but it fills quickly, so go early. It does have pit toilets but no water or electricity.

Priest Gulch RV Park, Cabins and Lodge is the place to go if you prefer hotel type camping. It is south of Lizard Head Pass on hwy.145. Priest Gulch is a large, popular RV and camp area that features a playground, laundry facilities, TV, a store, dump station and fire rings. The fees range from $18.00 - $23.00. Reservations are recommended. Phone: 970-562-3810.On the Dunton Road that runs along the west fork of the Dolores River there are several nice campgrounds also.

Mavreeso Campground is about four miles up the Dunton road and most of its fourteen sites are near the river. The fees are $12.00 and there are tent spaces as well as RV spaces. A few of the campsites also have electricity and there is water and toilets on site. Phone: 970-882-2294.

The West Dolores Campground is just a little further up the road. It is very similar to Mavreeso. The fees are $12.00 and all eighteen campsites are near the river. There are several spaces for large RV’s at the campground. There are some sites that have electricity and there is access to water and compost toilets. No phone available.

Burro Bridge Campground, as mentioned before, is about a mile past the town of Dunton. It is a nicely secluded area that features fifteen shady campsites near the river. There are no RV sites, but there is water available and compost toilets. This is a nice, quiet place that is off the path and is close to the Lizard Head Wilderness Area trails. No phone available.

Be Prepared

If you decide to travel to southwestern Colorado to do a little hiking and camping in the Lizard Head area, be sure to come prepared. Colorado weather can be harsh at any time of the year. Hiking is best early in the day during summer months as afternoon thunderstorms are common and are very dangerous to outdoor recreation enthusiasts. Be sure to carry basic first aid supplies, a map and food and water for an emergency. Wear comfortable clothing and shoes, but bring a jacket just in case. If you hike alone, be sure to let someone know your planned route should you become lost or injured.

Above all else, be sure to preserve this beautiful country for the future generations. Always observe Forest Service rules for hiking and camping. Be sure to abide by the ‘leave no trace’ motto when you are enjoying your stay in the mountains.

External Links:

• Lizard Head Wilderness Area - Wikipedia online encyclopedia on Lizard Head