Nolan Lake-FDT 1898

Difficulty:                  Moderate

Trail Use:                  High

Length:                     3.0 miles

Elevation:                 Starts at 9900 ft, ends at 11,264 ft, highest point 11,412 ft

Elevation Gain:        +1364 feet

Open To:                  Hiking

Access :   Travel south of Eagle on Brush Creek Rd. for 10 miles until you come to the fork of East and West Brush Creek.   Turn left onto East Brush Creek Rd., FDR 415 and drive for another 10 miles, passing Yeoman Park.   After passing Yeoman Park make a left at the first switchback onto FDR 418.   Travel for 3 3/4 mile and look for the trailhead on the right, sitting back from the road a little ways.

Parking is available on the left side of the road.

Trail Highlights :   This wooded trail begins as an old mining road up through aspen, spruce and fir forest.   At a 1/4 mile, the trail passes through a meadow and the upper town of Fulford, and a series of old log cabins, just before it crosses Nolan Creek and heads east up White Quail Gulch.   At the fork, continue right going downhill towards the creek, the trail is then level before becoming fairly steep with exposed rocks and roots.   The trail then takes a left curve up a large sloping gray rock near a talus slope and waterfall.   Near the end, the trail heads westward going up and over a ridge before descending through wet meadows of paintbrushes and marsh marigolds to Nolan Lake.   This 7.2 acre lake offers excellent photo opportunities as well as fishing for brook trout.   The sharp-pointed granite peaks of Craig Peak, 11,902 feet, accent the lake beautifully.   At the south ridge top of rocks there is a nice view of the town of Fulford in the foreground with the snow-capped Gore Range beyond.   Pikas (a relative of the rabbit) can be seen in large rock slides as you hike.