Lizard Head Trail to Cross Mountain Trail Loop

The Lizard Head Trail to Cross Mountain Trail Loop is an 11.5-mile route near Telluride, Colorado, that showcases high alpine meadows and the dramatic volcanic spire of Lizard Head Peak. Because the loop connects two distinct trailheads, completing the full circuit requires a shuttle vehicle, hitchhiking, or walking. Hikers can utilize a utility road running parallel to the San Juan Skyway (Highway 145) to safely return to the Lizard Head Trailhead from the Cross Mountain Trailhead without walking on the paved highway. Starting from the Lizard Head Trailhead, the path heads northeast through meadows of tall grasses and wildflowers before entering stands of aspen and pine. At 1.5 miles, the trail begins a demanding series of switchbacks, gaining approximately 1,000 feet of elevation. As the trees thin, the trail traverses the scenic ridge of Black Face Mountain, offering expansive views of Mount Wilson, Gladstone Peak, and the surrounding San Juan Mountains. The trail then descends briefly into an evergreen forest and a lower meadow. From the meadow, the route begins a second major climb directly toward the base of the prominent 13,113-foot volcanic spire of Lizard Head. The trail traverses below the peak's sheer walls to the junction with the Cross Mountain Trail #637. Turning left onto the Cross Mountain Trail, the route descends across dark volcanic soil beneath a rugged ridgeline. The trail winds down into a shaded evergreen forest with several small stream crossings, exiting the Lizard Head Wilderness into the San Juan National Forest before reaching the Cross Mountain Trailhead.