mccullough gulch

This was amazing. Drive to the end and get out and walk. Find the amazing waterfall but be careful it is dangerous. We took Sr pics for my daughter here. We also saw a bear cave across the waterfall. Amazing!

This is a great intermediate level hike. The waterfalls are spectacular and when we went we saw a mountain goat which made the hike. This hike is definitely recommended.

Beautiful trail that is easy to follow. Parts can be steep and snow covered in early summer. Great views of lakes and waterfalls.

Moderate climb past lakes, waterfalls, historic cabin, mine hardware, etc. Go as far as you like. Well traveled.

Second time hiking this trail, both in summer. The waterfall and alpine lake at the end are spectacular, and there are numerous wildflower glades along the way. Though there has been significant trail improvement since 2012, it is still treacherous across the boulder fields (manmade trail "fills"). Factoring in the steepness, I would describe the difficulty as moderate plus.This last time (Sunday morning in August), there were close to two hundred people on the trail, which completely robbed the hike of any enjoyment... much of the trail is wide enough for only a single person, and many families were holding toddlers by the hand on these parts, all of which added 90 minutes or more to the hike time. And they were all yakking constantly!

The three main attractions on the McCullough Gulch Trail are two waterfalls, one of them (White Falls) truly spectacular in most years, and Upper Blue Reservoir at the far end of the hike.Access to the trailhead for a hike up McCullough Gulch is had by finding the standard trailhead for climbing Quandary Peak, driving on past it on the road that will be easily passenger car passable until the last few hundred feet, bearing left at the one place you have to make a decision, and parking when you can see the gate at the road closure. (And be sure to park so that others can get by, on the uphill side of the road. To get out most easily, you will want to turn your vehicle around, which can be done fairly easily if you are careful.)Right at the gate you will hear some roaring that is coming from a waterfall off the right side of the gate (though the main trail heads uphill off the left side), and it's worth a short side trip to see it. (This will involve getting across a concrete diversion trough, but that's easy if it's dry and you'll see what you need to do.)After some hiking up the "trail" (really, an old jeep road), you will pass an area on your left that looks a bit like a junkyard with some buildings and a cheery sign warning that trespassers will be shot on sight. That doesn't apply to the trail, which is on forest service property, but I'd suggest not wandering over for a close look at the compound.Assuming that it hasn't been so dry that White Falls is puny (and in some years that has been the case, though not in 2014), you will hear these falls before you get to them, and there will be some well established, official side trails to get there. Be sure to take one of them, since you won't want to miss one of the more spectacular waterfalls in this part of the Rockies.At the very top you get to Upper Blue Reservoir, where the trail may or may not end for you depending on how adventurous you are in trailfinding to get around this small body of water. If you watch carefully, you should see some good sized fish swimming around.And watch the skies. As with any excursion into the high Rockies, afternoon (and occasionally, morning) thunderstorms and their loads of lightning can be dangerous.

I felt like I was Lewis or Clark. Followed beautiful cascading mountain stream. Well-marked and well-travelled trail, so don't worry about getting lost. This is not easy for the recreational hiker, but doable. Easy for the experienced hiker. Wear good hiking boots with grippy soles.

I certainly would not say that this a easy to moderate hike. This being said, we are 70 and our home is at sea level. The dirt road from the parking area to the trailhead is long and steep. The trail is very beautiful but continues climbing over some tricky areas. We made it the water falls, but decided not to go on to lake because the trail became steep and rocky.

McCullough Gulch is one of the most recommended and well traveled hikes around Breckenridge. It is rated "Easy to Moderate" by the Forest Service but, in combination with the elevation, it will be more difficult than most people anticipate. Having said that, I would not discourage anyone who is moderately fit from attempt the hike because the lake and waterfalls are absolutely beautiful. Please respect the private property and mining operation that you will encounter along the way and leave only foot prints when you depart.

My husband, 11mo. old and myself hiked this trail early fall. We carried baby in a Kelty back carrier. The trail proved a bit more difficult than we expected, and we are both in good condition. (Difficulty may be contributed to altitude change and extra weight on back). Be aware that this hike is an uphill climb in most of the way, so if you want a leisurely stroll through the woods, this may not be for you. We hiked to the falls, not the lake, which took us about 2.5 hrs round trip. I would suggest this trail if you want to be "pushed" a bit, and want to view gorgeous scenery!The road getting to the trail head continues a few miles, so keep going, and watch for pot holes!

We did the hike up McCullough Gulch. It is an easy climb in the sense the trails aren't that difficult but if you are not used to the altitude, then it is very hard to breath. We made a couple stops along the way to catch our breath. Definitely worth the hike though.

This hike took our group about three hours from start to finish. The trails are clear and not too strenuous. We saw lots of small animals running around. The air is so clean and the view at the top is absolutely gorgeous! Though it was the middle of July we were still able to throw a few snowballs when we reached the top, as well!A great hike to complete when visiting Breckenridge.

The hike is a bit steep, but well traveled. You end up at a gorgeous lake at the base of Quandary Peak - one of Colorado's 14ers (mountains over 14,000 feet). There is a beautiful waterfall before you get to the lake. Remember to take rain gear as it often rains after 1 pm in the high country.Don't pick the wild flowers - photograph them instead.The lake is at 12,000 - so there is less oxygen - pace yourself.

A moderate hike for us but a pretty rigorous one for our friends. Our friends were pretty reluctant all the way up but once we got to the glacial lake and saw the mountain goat they were soooo glad we talked them into going. We will go back. We like to have a picnic at the high point of our hike but it was way too cold (Sept. 11th). We want to go back in June when the flowers are out and hopefully it will be warm enough for our picnic. (All our CO hikes have previously been in Aug.)

Although this hike is only 1.3 miles each way, there is an 800 foot elevation gain over very poor tread. There are no switchbacks so you’re hiking straight up. The road to the trailhead is filled with some impressive potholes so beware. Almost immediately, you’ll pass an abandoned mine which is worth exploring. Walk back on the rail tracks to see the boarded up mine with the threat to shoot trespassers. The loop trail to the falls is worth taking as it gives one a great view. The trail now climbs more steeply and becomes more difficult to follow. As one gets closer to the lake, it’s multiple choice but they all get you there. The lake itself is rather unimpressive compared to other Colorado mountain lakes. However, the setting is magnificent. There are still a few remaining small glaciers on the mountainside. The view is worth the hard work. We didn’t experience any mosquitos although one passes several stagnant ponds. We hiked on a Monday morning and met many hikers. There were 19 vehicles parked along the road when we returned to our car.