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Mileage and Elevation Changes
USGS Quads - 1. Jackson Mountain, 2. Saddle Mountain, 3. Pogosa Peak
Reach the trail head via Jackson Mountain Road - Not Turkey Creek Rd - off Hwy 160 East of Pagosa Springs.
This is a short but rewarding hike. The trail up Turkey Creek is gentle at first but becomes steep and rugged after about 2 miles. We found the trail in bad shape this year (1998). It had been 10 years since my last visit and the outfitters have taken their toll on the trail. Turkey Lake, at 11,135 ft elevation, is truly beautiful. It is frequented by outfitters so camping may be a problem from mid July to September. This is a good fishing lake.
Looking south over Turkey Lake
Early morning reflections on Turkey Lake
From Turkey Lake you can hike to Fourmile Lake two ways. Take the long way around the mountain on a good dull trail or try the exciting way over Cherry Cairn with no trial. There is a trail shown on the USGS Quad but it has long disappeared. With a little map and compass work you can easily bushwack off the mountain to the lake. There is a remnant of the trail down the worst part of loose rock. Cherry Cairn is worth the trip. The pinkish rock from which it gets its name offers many weird formations for those with a good imagination.
Check with the forest service in Pagosa Springs for camping at Fourmile Lake. A sign at the end of each trial from the trailhead restricts camping within 100 yards of the lake. We bushwacked over Cherry Cairn this year (July 1998), did not see a sign and found a fire ring with a nice overlook about 100 feet from the lake. However, there is no restriction printed on the newest Forest Service map of the Weminuche and there is such a restriction printed on the map for Archuleta Lake. It would help if the Forest Service would destroy fire rings in no camping areas. This one looked about 100 years old.
There are two trails down from Fourmile Lake and we tried the new Anderson trail that was finished a few years ago. The old trail shown on the USGS Quads is an old stock trail of about 6-miles and has to be the worst trail in the Weminuche. However, we will endure the old trail next time as the Anderson trail was built by a Sadist. The trail climbs from Fourmile Lake to an elevation of 11,600 feet, drops to 11,100, climbs to 11,600 and then drops to 9,100 at the trailhead - about 8-miles total. The entire climb out was one continuous mud hole but we can't complain - a sign at the trailhead says "RECOMMENDED FOR HORSES". The Anderson trail is a beautiful forest walk for the most part except for about a mile of switchbacks up to the summit from the trailhead side. No beautiful view from the top or anything like that.