FLAT TOPS TRAIL

A Storied Land of Alpine Mesas and Sage-Covered Hills

The town of Meeker on the Flat Tops Byway - Photo by Denise Chambers/Weaver Multimedia Group

For 82 scenic miles, the Flat Tops Trail winds its way through lush river valleys, skirts the bountiful Flat Tops Wilderness and climbs over two of Colorado’s least-traveled passes. At the end of the journey in Meeker, travelers are greeted by a town filled with pastoral charm and a rough-and-tumble history. Make these pit stops along the way:

• Begin your journey in the town of Yampa. The nearby Yampa River is the longest free-flowing, dam-free river in the state.
• Pull over atop 10,343-foot Ripple Creek Pass for a striking vantage point that takes in the White River Valley and the ridges and mesas of the forested Flat Tops Wilderness Area.
• Make a detour off the byway at Forest Road 205. Eight miles later, you’ll arrive at the wondrous Trappers Lake, the birthplace of the wilderness movement. In 1919, a man named Arthur Carhart was surveying a site for a cabin resort development. Inspired by the lake’s placid beauty, Carhart decided to fight for the area’s preservation over development. His idea caught on, and the modern movement to preserve land as wilderness was born.
• Ultimately, you’ll arrive at the modest ranching town of Meeker. This town holds one of Colorado’s most unique events: the Meeker Classic Sheep Dog Championship Trails, usually held the first Wednesday through Sunday after Labor Day.
• Extend your tour beyond the byway to visit a famous battle site at Milk Creek. Here an intense battle between the Utes and the U.S. Army marked the beginning of the end for the Utes’ residency on this land. Take Highway 13 northeast out of town and turn right on County Road 15, which leads almost 20 miles over Yellow Jacket Pass to the site.

Distance: 82 miles
Suggested time: 5 hours with sidetrip


Scenic & Historic Byways Overview
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