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Tenderfoot Mountain Trail


Length: Approx. 2.5 miles roundtrip
Highlights: Views of Lake Dillon, Buffalo Mountain and the Gore and 10 Mile ranges
Difficulty Rating: Easy
Elevation Gain: Approx. 545 ft.
 

Directions:
Take I-70 to exit 205 (Silverthorne) and then follow route 6 east for a little over a mile to a traffic light at the intersection of Evergreen Rd. and Lake Dillon Dr. (Lord of the Mountain Lutheran Church is on your left.) Turn left at this light and make an immediate right onto County Road 51. You will see a water tank on your right. Continue just past the Dillon Water Treatment Facility to a parking lot on your right. The trail starts here at the eastern edge of the parking lot.
Above: Starting out on the trail from the parking lot.

 Below: A gentle climb through an
aspen stand


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Description:
The trail begins from the parking lot just behind the water treatment facility and proceeds for a few hundred yards to a sign and a sharp left which you take to begin the gentle climb on the slope of Tenderfoot. If you miss this turn you will continue on the Oro Grande Trail which leads to the Dillon Cemetery (see our description of the Oro Grande Trail).

The Tenderfoot Trail is a pleasant walk through an aspen and lodge pole pine forest.

It makes for some great colors in the fall. Now that numerous pine trees have been cut due to the pine beetle infestation, hikers are rewarded with virtually unimpaired views of the Gore Range, Ten Mile Range, and Lake Dillon.  

 

  
Above: Some fall colors

Above: View looking out over Lake Dillon.

 

  
The trail meanders upward for about 1.25 miles to a sign marking the trail's end at about 9885 feet.

Along the way are two benches that provide an opportunity to pause and enjoy the view.
Above: Virtual clear cut due to pine beetle infestation.

Below: Probably a week away from prime fall color!		 We recommend this hike in cooler weather especially in the fall when colors are most vibrant. Above: After a sign marks the end of the trail, time to turn around and retrace out steps.
 



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  beginner intermediate advanced
    Black Powder Pass   Mohawk Lake   Quandary Peak  14,265'
    Lily Pad   Chihuahua Gulch   Lincoln & Bross 14,291' / 14,177'
    St. John's   Mt. Royal   Bierstadt Peak 14,060'
    Mayflower Gulch   Wheeler Lakes   Willow & Salmon Lakes
    Loveland Pass   Radical Hill Trail   Upper Crystal Lake
    Salt Lick Trail   McCullough Gulch   Gray's & Torrey's 14,278' / 14,267'
    Mesa Cortina Trail   Mt. Sniktau   Mt. Democrat 14,152'
    St. Mary's Glacier   North Ten Mile Trail   Mt. Victoria
    Sally Barber Mine   Willow Falls  

Mt. Elbert  14,433'
    Oro Grande Trail   Eaglesmere Lakes   Buffalo Mountain  12,777'
    Meadow Creek-Salt Lick   Mosquito Pass   Eccles Pass
    Shrine Mountain Trail   Webster Pass   Mt. Huron  14,003'
    Ptarmigan Trail   Ptarmigan via Wilder Gulch    
    Peaks Tr. Barton Gulch   Wheeler Lake - Park County    
    Hoosier Pass Loop   Lenawee Trail    

 

  Spruce Creek Loop NEW! Nightmare on Baldy Mine    
  NEW! Tenderfoot Mountain Trail        
   

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Note: The Summit County Explorer website is for entertainment purposes only. SCE will not be held liable for the any accidents or injuries resulting from the activities listed on this site. Trail conditions change daily and we assume no responsibility for the safety of any individual during any of these activities. Please consult actual trail guides and maps before attempting any of the activities mentioned here.