Round Trip Distance: 3.7 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Elevation: 4615 - 4844 feet
Cellphone: 0-3 bars
Time: 1 hr. 45 mins.
Trailhead: Wildflower Lane
Fee: none
Attractions: Scenic views
The Lumsden Loop trail is in the BLM area just south of the Gateway Canyons Resort at Gateway, Colorado. The trail begins in a small canyon at the end of Wildflower Lane, climbs a short hill to the local airstrip, travels along the runway shortly after which it begins a loop that takes it around the mouth of Lumsden Canyon before it begins looping back and picking up the Cutler Rim trail to close the loop where it retraces the remainder of the distance back to the trailhead.
The trailhead options for this hike are the public parking area near the resort, the north end of the Runway Trail, and the area around this green gate at the end of Wildflower Lane. This post begins at the gate by passing through it and following it into the shallow canyon. We had intended on beginning this hike at the northern end of the Runway Trail but due to construction we had a change of plans.
The road winds its way up the wash for a short distance and then leaves it climbing out on the right side.
From the wash the road climbs the hill, passing the Cutler Rim Cutoff trail junction, and comes out on top of the little mesa at the airstrip. Here the trail turns left along the edge of the runway.
At the end of the runway the trail is back on the double track road heading toward Lumsden Canyon.
At the 0.6 mile point from where we began the Lumsden trail begins its loop. This post follows the loop in the counter-clockwise direction.
Take the left fork at the junction of the Lumsden Loop and Runway trails. The Runway trail stretches for just under 1 mile from this point, through a wash along the west side of the runway, to Canyon Drive.
The Lumsden trail makes a sweeping arc heading northward for a short distance and then bending around more toward the west and on around until it is once again heading toward Lumsden Canyon.
Near the trails southern most point it turns eastward and crosses the Lumsden Canyon road once more.
The next section of the trail seems a little more primitive or less worn than the other trails in the area as though it is was constructed more recently.
As the trail heads back toward the north it meets up with the Vista Grande trail.
At the next junction the trail branches off to the left and follows the Cutler Rim trail.
This post follows the Cutler Rim trail past the Cutler Rim Cutoff trail and on around toward the west where the loop originally began. From here it is a simple matter of retracing the route back to where we began. The hike could be shortened by taking the cutoff trail.
