This 23 mile excursion gives you the full, top-down visual of the Elkhorn Mountains. As the name implies, the trail follows the high ridges of the Elkhorns, with breathtaking views of the region from start to finish. The trail is very rocky in places, but otherwise clean and well maintained. Lots of mountain goats are cruising around this trail, so you are sure to get up-close encounters. Several lakes are about a mile hike off the trail. Most of the high peaks can be climbed with short scrambles from the trail, including the highest point in the Elkhorn Range, Rock Creek Butte.
The north end is accessed from the trailhead near Anthony Lakes and the southern terminus is at Marble Pass, a dirt road that can be accessed by high clearance vehicles.
Trail Notes
- 0.0 Start at the parking area for Black Lake Trail, Elkhorn Crest, just off the paved road before Anthony Lakes Ski Resort. The trailhead is equipped with a vaulted toilet and there are several camping accommodations nearby.
- 0.5 Trail forks. Stay left for Elkhorn Crest. The other trail goes up a short distance to Black Lake.
- 2.7 Arrive at the top of the climb, where a saddle allows for views into the Crawfish Basin. This is the wilderness boundary.
- 3.3 Trail intersection with Dutch Flat Trail to the east and Crawfish Basin Trail to the west.
- 4.0 Cunningham Saddle. Trail intersection for Cunningham Cove Trail 1643 to the west.
- 5.1 Nip and Tuck Pass
- 5.2 Intersection for Lost Lake Trail 1621 to the east. Lost Lake is 1 mile, Meadow Lake is 2.
- 8.4 Exit wilderness at a trail and road intersection. The trail to the west is the Peavy Trail. Elkhorn Crest will follow the dirt road to the east for short bit.
- 8.7 Look for the entry to the trail again as it heads east from the road.
- 8.8 The trail splits. Stay right. To the left is the Summit Lake Trail.
- 10.3 Cross a spring, the only perennial water source on the Elkhorn Crest Trail.
- 15.5 Intersection for Pole Creek Ridge 1624.
- 18.2 Arrive at a saddle where the trail briefly travels on the eastern slopes, just below Rock Creek Butte to the north, which is the high point of the Elkhorn Mountains. Shortly the trail emerges on the western slopes again with a magnificent view of Twin Lakes.
- 19.1 Twin Lakes Trail 1633 to the east.
- 22.8 Arrive at Marble Pass, the trail end point.
