Mitchell Lakes Trail

Located just 15 miles north of Durango along Highway 550, the Mitchell Lakes Trail starts at County Road 250 at the bottom of Old Shalona Hill.

Open to hikers, equestrians, and mountain bikers, Mitchell Lakes Trail is a great spring trail as snow is generally gone by late April.

Length: 8.2 Miles
Climb: 2850 Feet
Difficulty: Intermediate
From Durango: 15 Miles

Getting there

Mitchell Lakes Trailhead Leaving Durango, travel north on U.S. Highway 550. Pass the town of Hermosa and drive over four rollers, the “Four Sisters.” Pinkerton Hot Springs (“Bubbling Rock”) is at the top of the Fourth Sister. Continue for 0.2 mile and make a right on La Plata County Road 250. The road makes a sharp hairpin to the right then hooks back left. It splits just before Riverside KOA, 0.2 mile from the highway. Make a sharp left (while watching for bicyclists!) onto “Old Shalona Hill.” In 0.1 mile, park in a wide turnout on the left. The Mitchell Lakes Trail goes west up Forest Service Road 740, a technical track not suitable for four-wheel drive vehicles.