Antones Lake – FDT 1871.1

Difficulty:                  Moderate

Trail Use:                  Low

Length:                     2.79 miles

Elevation:                 Starts at 9550 ft, ends at 10,775 ft, highest point 10,775 ft

Elevation Gain:        +1209 feet

Open To:                  Hiking, horseback riding

Access :   From Eagle, take I-70 west 7 miles to the Gypsum exit, turn left after exiting.   Head towards town, turning right at the Forest Access sign, Valley Rd., this road will turn into Gypsum Creed Rd., FDR 412.   Stay on this road for 18 miles; it will dead-end at LEDE Reservoir.   Access is gained through Antones-FDT 1871, which begins as an old jeep road to the east of the reservoir. Hike for about 1 mile and take a right at an old sign post. The trail begins on the ridge top.

Trail Highlights :   The trail begins in spruce and fir and may become difficult to find in places, before it crosses Antones Cabin Creek about 0.4 miles.   Be sure to follow the Forest Service blazes on the trees which look like a lower case I. The trail runs flat for a while, then will briefly descend before ascending into a gradual climb again.   To the east of the trail it is steep and covered with rock scree, the trail continues in the trees to the right of the screen.   North of Red Table Mountain a few scattered lakes can be found surrounded by rock scree, with many wildflowers adding color to the serene lake settings.   Due to winterkill and the extreme fluctuation of water levels at these lakes, there are no fish.