Leadville Weekend Part 3: Mayflower Gulch to Gold Hill Wildflower Hike

Distance 6 miles round trip
Elevation: 10,996-11,980 ft
Elevation gain: 1,040 ft

Monkshood (Aconitum columbianum), Bistwort (Bistora bistortoides), unknown yellow aster, Aspen Daisy (Erigeron speciosus)

Mayflower Gulch near Copper Mountain is one of my favorite wildflower hikes and we usually go up at least once a year to check it out. It never seems to disappoint. This year was no exception. The fields were filled with many different species, the clouds were building, providing much needed shade to photograph the colorful ones, and the weather was sublime.

The cabins of the Boston Mine seen from the road to Gold Hill

Some of you may have already seen my winter Mayflower Gulch post. Summer or winter, Mayflower Gulch is a destination not to be missed. Don’t stay at the cabins of the Boston Mine however. Instead, be sure to head up the right towards Gold Hill. In the winter this is a bushwhack but in the summer you can follow a dirt road to the top. Most years there will be a slight scramble over the remaining snow cornice. This year was no exception.

The farther up Gold Hill you go, the farther back into the Gulch you can see. Here you can see the trail that heads there.

View from Gold Hill looking south

Many of the most beautiful wildflowers grow along the broad slope that borders this road. I like to shove my telephoto lens into the grasses and play with bringing into focus various layers of the flowers. There are so many, it is hard to choose.

View from Gold Hill looking southwest towards the Climax Mine retaining pond
The views from the ridge of Gold Hill are extraordinary. The green meadows to the south remind me of the Sound of Music. If you listen carefully, you can hear the opening strains of that musical and I swear Julie Andrews is about to come twirling out into the open.

View from Gold Hill looking southeast

Slightly southwest, you can see the giant retaining pond of the Climax Mine. While not a pretty wilderness sight, its colors do make a nice contrast to all verdant greens.

White Crowned Sparrow (Zontrichia leucohyrus) nests in the central mountains of Colorado. It feeds on the ground scratching backwards with both feet simultaneously.

On this trip we also decided to head up into the Gulch to the farther mine site. Alas, we were almost to the final structure when the storms that had been building decided to start rumbling. Since this area is very exposed, we decided to head out. There were many wildflowers along this route as well, particularly along the stream. If you have time, do both and you won’t be disappointed. Note that the mileage and elevation gain listed in this post does not include the trip to the upper mine.

Square Top Lakes

Distance: 4.2 miles RT
Elevation: 11,700 to 12,300 ft
Elevation Gain: 850 ft total with 250 ft of additional up and downs.
Critters: Golden Eagle, White Crowned Sparrow, Jack the rock hound


Lower Square Top Lake as seen from the upper lake. Mt. Bierstadt in the background.
Square Top Lakes is a short tundra hike to two alpine lakes with incredible views. The entire trail is above treeline so all the usual precautions are necessary. Don’t forget the sunscreen and hat and watch the weather.


Looking down the first valley
I chose this hike for the first hike of the 4th of July weekend because I needed to get my 15 year-old dog out for a short hike that was not overly rocky. Last year I had made it to the lower lake but ended up jogging back to the car as the thunder rolled overhead. On this trip, the skies stayed clear and I was able to lounge at the upper lake for an hour or more. There I saw a Golden Eagle flying against the mountainside. Even with my telephoto lens it was merely a spec against the expanse of rock.

Western Sky Pilot (Polemonium viscosum). Also known as Skunkweed or Jacob's Ladder. It grows at high altitudes on dry rocky sites.

The trailhead for Square Top Lakes is at the apex of Guanella Pass. The lower parking lot is full of Bierstadt climbers and the upper lot contains overflow. Both lots have nice new bathrooms.

The trail descends 100 ft into a small valley where is crosses a creek on a series of wooden bridges. It then rises quickly to a large rocky knoll. There were Buddhist payer flags strung across the rocks here and another hiker told me someone had died in an avalanche there.

From this knoll, the trail descends another 100 ft before rising to the first lake. This lake is pretty, but the view from the upper lake is even better. Both lakes are nestled at the base of Square Top Mountain. The trail for that summit forks left half way up the trail to the upper lake. That climb looks like a pleasant diversion and some day I’ll pop up there.



A small section of the upper lake
Wildflowers covered the tundra and at one point I tried to estimate their distribution. It seemed like there was one flower every six inches or so. I lost count of the number of species present but white and yellow seemed to be the predominate colors. On the broad shelf that borders the upper lake, tiny tundra flowers sprouted in crevices of every rock. I need to get myself a magnifying glass so I can examine these more closely.


Alpine Sunflower (Hymenoxys grandiflora). Also known as Old-Man-of-the-Mountain. They bloom in clumps from May to June and turns to face the sun.
On my way back down I lingered at the lower lake for a few moments. There I met Jack, a Chesapeake Bay Retrieve/Lab mix. This dog looked more like a Grizzly Bear than dog and he was shuffling through the water of the lake backwards shaking his hindquarters in a most un-lady like manner. The owners said he was trying to loosen rocks on the bottom with his front paws. This activity, combined with piteous whines was a site to behold. Occasionally, Jack would thrust the upper half of his body underwater like a duck feeding on grass and come up spouting. At last, we saw Jack bound out of the water with a 10-pound rock in his mouth. I wish I were so easily entertained. Still, if I were caught moving my hindquarters in a similar manner, I would be arrested for disturbing the peace!


The White Crowned Sparrow (Zonotrichia leucophyrus) is a migratory songbird that mainly eats seeds. There were many of them singing away in the willows. I have a better photo on my Mayflower Gulch Wildflower Hike


This is a great time to check out this trail, but go early so you won’t have to run from the thunderstorms, which can pop up very quickly on Guanella Pass.


Jack the rock hound