Bowen Gulch Trail #119

Dogs Unknown

Features Commonly Backpacked · River/Creek · Wildflowers · Wildlife

This trail starts in Rocky Mountain National Park but quickly exits the park to head into the Never Summer Wilderness. The first section of the trail heads south skirting the valley. Keep an eye open to the east as you can often spot moose, elk, and deer in wide meadows of the Colorado River valley.

The trail continues a gentle climb becoming increasingly forested as it goes. At just over two miles, you'll come to a T-junction with the CDT: Bowen Gulch to Willow Creek Pass (CO Sec. 38). Here there is a registration box, and the Bowen Gulch Trail turns to the west to run concurrent with the CDT.

This section of the trail is wide and well-maintained with a few creek crossings (most have log bridges) and a few muddy sections (likely more muddy the earlier in the season that you are hiking). The trail is mainly forested with a few open meadows. The sections that wind along the stream will be covered in wildflowers in the spring/early summer season.

At just over 5 miles, you'll climb away from the steam onto a more rocky doubletrack. You'll pass the junction to the Blue Lake Trail #116 on your right. After this, it is a short climb to the next junction with the Bowen Lake Trail #118, which branches off to the south and the Bowen Pass Trail which continues along the path for the CDT.

Many wildflowers in season. Moose, elk, deer, bears.