Burnt Timber Trail, Point 11,003' and Point 11,724'

Essence: This stem and loop incorporates a four mile segment of the Burnt Timber Trail beginning at its south end in Transfer Park near Lemon Reservoir. Three hikes are presented at increasing levels of effort and elevation. Each option turns around at the junction of the Burnt Timber and Lime Mesa trails. The hikes all feature large stands of aspen, expansive meadows, far-flung views, and culturally historic arborglyphs. This is a good late spring warmup when snow lingers in the high country. The hike is within the Weminuche Wilderness, San Juan National Forest.
Travel: From Durango, drive north on Florida Road. It becomes La Plata CR 240. At Helen's Store CR 240 makes a sharp right. Stay straight, following the sign for Lemon Dam and Transfer Park. Start measuring from the corner, the beginning of CR 243. At the dam, 1.6 miles, the road turns to smooth gravel. Continue past the lake and turn left at 6.8 miles on FSR 596. Cross the Florida River and go left at the split at 7.1 miles, staying on FSR 596. The road is prone to potholes but 2WD vehicles should be able to dodge them. Park at 8.2 miles at the Burnt Timber Trailhead in Transfer Park. This was the site of an historic transfer station for ore and supplies between pack mules and wagons in the mining era. The lightly used Transfer Park Campground has 25 sites on the Florida River.
Distance and Elevation Gain:
Burnt Timber Trail to Lime Mesa Trail and back: 8 miles; 2,340 feet
Point 11,003' and Lime Mesa Trail: 9.2 miles; 2,500 feet
Point 11,724': 9.6 miles; 3,300 feet
Total Time: 5:00 to 6:30 for the longest hike
Difficulty: Trail, off-trail; navigation easy on the BTT but moderate for Point 11,003' and Point 11,724'; no exposure
Maps: Lemon Reservoir; Mountain View Crest, Colorado 7.5' USGS, or Trails Illustrated #140, Weminuche Wilderness.
Latest Date Hiked: June 10, 2020
Quote: Trees are the earth’s endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. Rabindranath Tagore

The Burnt Timber Trail was named for a fire that swept through the region years ago. The trees have come back to life in robust stands of aspen and subalpine conifer. From the trail look up the Florida River canyon to Sheridan Mountain on Endlich Mesa. (Thomas Hold Ward, photo)

 

Route: For the trail hike simply go north until the BTT merges with the Lime Mesa Trail. To visit one or both points, hike north on the BTT for two miles. Walk west on a secondary trail and then ascend northwest off-trail. Visit the arborglyph grove and then climb the south ridge of Point 11,003'. For the mid-level hike, transition to the Lime Mesa Trail and bear north on the blue-line route to the BTT. For the high-level option, climb north to Point 11,724' while following the ridgeline. Descend on the southeast ridge to the Lime Mesa Trail. All three hikes return on the BTT.

 

Burnt Timber Trail #667
From the Burnt Timber Trailhead, elevation 8,520 feet, the old dirt and stone pathway keeps up a steady incline. In springtime, enlivening green is pervasive--a tall and thick aspen forest, snowberry, maple, and even blooming meadow rue. The trail register is located at the Weminuche Wilderness boundary at 0.3 mile. An unusual feature of the trail follows; walk up a sheet of weathered granite.

The idyllic treadway levels briefly as it passes through an evergreen woodland. (THW, photo)

Cross a west fork of Burnt Timber Creek on stones at one mile. Usually this ford is easy enough but I've seen it 15 feet across. South Burnt Timber Creek is up next. As you proceed, the aspen surrounding the trail host historic engravings.

Point 11,003' and Point 11,724'
At 2.1 miles, 9,960 feet, a secondary trail branches left from the main track. The unsigned junction is easy to miss. It is at the top of a rise less than a tenth of a mile before the BTT crosses Burnt Timber Creek. The spur goes up to a hunting camp and then disappears so if you have doubts about hiking off-trail, stay on the BTT.  An old miner's stove a few yards up the trail will confirm that you made the correct turn. The stove even marks a Strava segment.
(THW, photo) 

 

The faint trail climbs through a mature aspen and spruce forest bearing essentially west for a third of a mile.
(THW, photo)

At 10,200 feet, you will encounter some limestone boulders. If you keep going straight on a fading path you'll start losing elevation. Instead, our route turns 90 degrees here to the northwest and climbs an open slope. There's a scrap of trail to start but it soon vanishes.  

You will soon arrive in a high meadow with the south ridge of Point 11,003' on your left and a stand of aspen on your right. An exemplary display of arborglyphs is in the grove.

Wander through the old herding camp and examine the aspen for carvings attributed to sheepherders whiling away the hours as they tended their flocks. The canvases are archaeological artifacts that preserve the old west but for a short span of time since aspen trees live at most 150 years.

The skillful artistry demonstrated without injury to the living tree makes one wonder if this collection was the work of a single gifted sheepherder. The carvings provide information we could not find elsewhere. They host images of sheepherders with cowboy hats and bolo ties, and a favorite donkey. (THW, photo)

Affection for one's steed carried over to the sheep. In this carving a ewe nuzzles her lamb. (THW, photo)

 

There are multiple carts. This one has an exceptionally large spoke wheel. Please do not leave images of your own at this unusual historical marker.

 

Climb 200 feet west to the south ridge of Point 11,003'. (THW, photo) 

 

Gain the ridge at 2.8 miles, about 10,560 feet. The view is commanding, even rattling, especially to the northeast. The thirteeners shown below are north and east of City Reservoir in Upper Park. Sheridan Mountain is the pyramidal peak on the right, an extension of the Endlich Mesa tableland. (THW, photo) 

To the west are hillsides that have not recovered from the Burnt Timber Fire. The abandoned road seen below is the Lime Mesa Trail heading north out of Horse Park.

To reach Point 11,003', walk north up the ridge line. After walking through an initial aspen grove, you will stumble on a social trail going right up the center of the ridge. (THW, photo) 

 

The trail eases the effort up the last 100 feet of pitch.

 

Top out on Point 11,003' at 3.1 miles. Lemon Reservoir fills its blue bowl and the San Juan Mountains glide to a full stop on the horizontal Colorado Plateau. (THW, photo) 

The Lime Mesa Trail passes right through Point 11,003'. From here, you may hop on the trail or climb even higher to Point 11,724'.

Mid-Level Lime Mesa Trail #676
Turn right if you wish to proceed north on the trail, the blue-line route. The abandoned road tracks below the rim on the 11,000 foot contour. There is no elevation gain and the views are superlative. Mount Eolus, 14,090', is on the skyline image-left. It is two miles to the junction with the BTT.

 

I have seen bear prints and a lot of horny toads along this trail.

High-Level to Point 11,724'
The climb to the high point is gradual and straightforward. Cross the Lime Mesa Trail and bear north staying on the ridge line as it curves around scalloped bowls carrying Burnt Timber and North Burnt Timber creeks.

 

The rock holding up the ridge is weathered Paleozoic limestone. The exposed limestone found throughout this area is a sedimentary layer tilted by the San Juan uplift. (THW, photo)

 

Hike through an Engelmann spruce forest staying close to the east edge. The high point is image-center. It is admittedly not spectacular but is totally worth doing if you are out in BTT country. (THW, photo) 

 

As you approach the crest peer through an opening in the trees to Pigeon and Turret Peaks in the Needle Mountains. These ragged crags, close to the apex of the San Juan uplift, are composed of the Precambrian crystalline core.
(THW, photo) 

 

The actual high point at 4.7 miles is subtle. There isn't a clear opening to the north and west. But you can see into the southern reaches and the Lime Mesa Trail. (THW, photo)

 

The ridge splits on the peak. Be sure to make a 90 degree turn to the right and descend on the pleasant southeast ridge. We cut east at about 11,200 feet and made for the Lime Mesa Trail, shown. Walk north to the junction with the BTT, no more than half a mile afar. Note: In 2009, we climbed to Point 11,724' from the junction. (THW, photo) 

 

Burnt Timber Trail South to Trailhead
There is a large cairn marking the junction at 5.6 miles. (Mileages sync with the high-level hike.) Make a hard right and head south. Backpackers typically continue north on the BTT for 2.5 miles to City Reservoir Trail #542. In Upper Park they turn north on Endlich Mesa Trail #534 which eventually arrives in Chicago Basin. Or, they stay on the Lime Mesa Trail for two miles to the trailhead at the top of Missionary Ridge Road.

 

It is a fast four miles downhill to the trailhead. The meadowlands suspended above the Florida River gorge are big and beautiful and so is the trail. (THW, photo) 

Cross North Burnt Timber Creek at 6.5 miles. Dive into a deep aspen forest at 10,100 feet and walk steeply down to Burnt Timber Creek. Walk a few paces uphill and close the loop at 7.5 miles. In the image below, hikers are descending to the creek and the stove may be seen on the secondary trail.