Meadow Creek Trail to Lily Pad Lake

On our last visit to Summit County, our first stop was the Meadow Creek Trail. The path climbs through towering aspen, and we only wished it was autumn, so we could be surrounded by the golden glow. Next time, we told ourselves ー perhaps mid-September, when fall colors typically peak here around Frisco.

Not that we had any regrets. None can be had on Meadow Creek Trail, which offers a quick escape off Interstate 70 into Eagles Nest Wilderness. Far-flung journeys can be charted to Eccles Pass and the high country beyond. But most travelers are bound, as we were, for the refreshing, subalpine shores of Lily Pad Lake.

Cars are often parked along the dirt road to the frequently full parking lot at the trailhead. Here, Lily Pad Lake is marked 1 ½ miles from the path that steeply climbs between aspen. On the way up, take a break and look back at the rugged face of Mount Royal and the pointy top of Peak 1 high over the canopy.

The trail remains fairly steep through groves here above 9,000 feet. At a split, Lily Pad Lake is marked to the right, where the trail flattens through enchanting, swaying stands of lodgepole pine.

Ahead, a footbridge crosses over the tumbling creek. The trail reaches higher for open, lush meadows and views of the Tenmile Range and Dillon Reservoir. 

The trail bends around to the lake above 9,900 feet, bordered by pine and overlooked by Buffalo Mountain. Despite the name, lily pads aren’t always front and center. You might spot patches walking along the shore, where there’s plenty of room for solitude. You might also spot a moose; they are known to visit these wetlands. 

Trip log: 3.1 miles out and back, 781 feet elevation gain, 9,913 feet max

Getting there: On I-70, take exit 203 toward Frisco. At the traffic circle, take the second exit for the dirt road and continue about a half mile to the Meadow Creek trailhead. 

FYI: Hiking and horseback riding only. Dogs on leash.  

SETH BOSTER, THE GAZETTE