A 4×4/off road trail to the Bullion King Mine-Chapter 4 Short Hike to a Alpine Lake
Looking for the end of this 4X4, Off-Road Trail!
So, time to turn around from where you are parked near the rock hounding spot and head down to the main 4X4 off road trail that crosses the front of the Bullion King Gold Mine’s dump pile. The dump pile is worth taking a closer look at. You will find a bunch of the Cubes, except they are smaller and no rust coating and the rest of this muck is like pottery clay. Once years ago I took some of this “clay”, rolled it into a ball and placed it on the exhaust manifold and by the time we reached Telluride via Black Bear Pass it had fired hard as ceramic.
The 4X4 off road trail is fun from here to the end!
Who blocked this 4×4 off toad trail is what I want to know?
The 4×4 off road trail is just sort of fun the rest of the way as you climb over rocks and through a notch and around and over a ledge, till you reach the end of the 4×4 trail. Looks like this 4×4 trail used to continue on to the Bullion King Lake, and it looks like a really easy 4×4 trail, but none the less there is a huge boulder that appears to have been intentionally place in the way.
Update: the Powers that be have stopped the road and destroyed the mine portal, at where the Mine Portal used to be, you can still drive up closer to the area with the Cubes, and it may be shorter to hike to the lakes up this gully, but I have never tried!
The Short Hike to the Alpine Lake.
There is a short hike involved in seeing the Bullion King Alpine Lake, high in the San Juan Mountains of Southwestern Colorado, but it is well worth it. And I do mean a short hike, if I can hike it, it can’t be too bad. But keep in mind you will be hiking at close to 13,000 feet so take your time if need be. As you can see this is a rather magnificent lake so enjoy and let me know if you catch any fish out of it. There is yet another lake or 2, up in the next rise in this basin known as Porphyry Lake. I have never hiked up to them, but have looked at them on Google Maps and they appear to be much smaller, but if you feel ambitions take the hike and please take some photos to share!
The 4×4 off road trail down.
Once you return to your rig it is time to head her down the 4×4 trail till you reach the Black Bear Pass parkway. Do you remember where that was? Not far from the Extremely Dangerous sign. Aren’t you glad you continued on from it?
The Short Hike after the 4×4 off road trail-
Will be rewarded with-
This spectacular Alpine Lake!!!
The 4×4 off road trail will continue here!
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