McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir

Breckenridge, Colorado

5.0/5

based on 3 reviews

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Details

Distance

6.45 miles

Elevation Gain

1532 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Outbound

With peaks, lakes, and waterfalls, McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir is steep in parts, but always scenic and worth the push.

The trail first takes you to Upper Blue Reservoir, about 1.4 miles in. Past this point, it can be somewhat tricky to find the trail, but for experienced hikers, the upper valley holds a number of lakes, a waterfall, and open tundra for exploring. Mountain goat sightings are also common in this area, so keep an eye out!

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Features

Fishing

Hiking

Dog Friendly

Lake

Scenic

Wildlife

Waterfalls

McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir Reviews

Wynn Wiley

Scout

McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir

11/11/25

Absolutely gorgeous! We hiked in mid may so there was still some snow scattered here and there which made finding the trail sometimes difficult. This is an exhausting trail, except frequent intense inclines and jagged rocks but its well worth the effort!

5.0

Jeff DLB

Beginner

McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir

11/29/20

Beautiful hike, but this lake is not actually called Upper Blue Reservoir, and at this time has no official name. There was an error in the US Geographic Names Information System (GNIS), which incorrectly put Upper Blue Reservoir on the north flank of Quandary Peak, south of this lake. This reservoir is actually in Monte Cristo gulch south of Quandary. I reported the error, and the coordinates have since been fixed. See https://geonames.usgs.gov/apex/f?p=138:3:::NO:3:P3_FID,P3_TITLE:199759,Upper%20Blue%20Lake

5.0

Jozie Burns

Wanderer

McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir

09/12/16

My first, and favorite, hike I've done in Colorado!

5.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

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McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir

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McCullough Gulch to Upper Blue Reservoir Reviews

Leave No Trace

Nearby

Hike the East Ridge of Pacific Peak

Quandary Peak via Blue Lakes

Lower Mohawk Lake via Spruce Creek

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Francie's Cabin

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