This aspen-surrounded meadow at mile 3.8 offers good camping, especially when conditions allow you to find water nearby. Keep an eye out for both hunters and deer that frequent this area. Eastern views of the Santa Fe National Forest open up in this transition zone to higher, cooler elevations.īefore reaching the lake and ridges at mile 2.2, this route dips into a draw carved in the grassy hills by a seasonal creek.ĭeer often follow the seasonal creek that runs down from the grassy hillside above this point. Stay straight at this junction and follow Winsor Ridge Trail #271 toward a gradual climb and out of the busy campground basin.Ī series of switchbacks begins just before this point at the wilderness area boundary. There is plenty of parking for cars and horse trailers, but no toilet or drinking water at this lot. The trail begins in the northwest corner of the Cowles Trailhead parking area, just before the road crosses the Pecos River. Mapped by Bill Velasquez Gas near Stewart Lake Use existing trails and camp on established sites at east 200 feet away from water. Note: Because this is a relatively high-traffic wilderness area, follow Leave No Trace principles. Climb north on a secondary trail for a few hundred yards to a drainage bench-you’ll spot this petite lake beneath Santa Fe Baldy and the Lake Katherine basin. Just 200 yards long, Stewart Lake is 6 miles from the trailhead and just north of the Skyline Trail beyond a small, marshy pond. From the Cowles Trailhead, the route follows a well-marked path through fir and pine before transitioning to aspen and small rock shelves offering panoramic views. Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members!Ī perfect weekend getaway, this 12-mile out-and-back climbs steadily through wildflower-filled landscapes to Stewart Lake, one of the easier-access alpine lakes in the Pecos Wilderness.
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