The Hyalite Crusher

Dogs Leashed

Features Lake · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers

Hyalite has a lot of trails but not many that can make a loop without hiking on a road. This loop offers a high altitude adventure that stays on singletrack for almost the whole time.

Bear spray is a must

Heading from the parking lot you soon pass the Westshore Trail. Continue through thick forest and pass the Black Crescent Trail.
 At about a mile you begin to switchback up the hill before you begin to cut across its face.

When you reach two miles you pass the Blackmore Lake. Once you enter the drainage the trail gets steeper as passes through powerful switch-backs before finally entering an alpine field at 4.5 miles.

Pass the South Cottonwood trail to the left and follow the ridge to the summit of Mount Blackmore.

After tagging the summit, head back to South Cottonwood Trail #422. The first mile or so is steep downhill through open ground with big vistas.

From here you enter the forest and soon close in on South Cottonwood Creek. Dip in and out of meadows and forest for the next two miles when you meet South Cottonwood Creek Trail and Storm Castle Ridge Trail #417. Turn right and head down stream.

This is some of the easiest part of the route as the next three miles gently head down hill for the next few miles. Turn right on the History Rock Trail where you'll follow Fox Creek uphill. After two miles you enter an alpine meadow with huge vistas.

After leaving the meadow you head along an old fire road and begin the long downhill.

Curve along the side of a mountain before entering another meadow and heading down steep terrain. Once you make it down to some wetlands you have another 1.5 miles before you pop out at the parking lot. Head up the road to meet back at you car.