Hood Creek

Considering how popular the Hyalite Recreation Area is with locals and visitors alike, the Hood Creek Trail is remarkably quiet. The trail gets good use in the fall with hunters and again in the winter with cross-country skiers. The trail itself is a short day hike with moderate elevation gain up into the forest from Hood Creek Campground. Find the trailhead on the east side of Hyalite Canyon Road, almost directly across from the campground entrance. The loop winds up through the forest of Engelmann spruce and lodgepole pines, eventually getting above the trees and providing an excellent view of the Hyalite Creek drainage and the reservoir below. On the way back down the hillside the forest floor opens up a bit, making it an ideal setting for grouse and other woodland creatures. When the trail approaches the four-way junction, swing a left and continue on toward trail number 456 to complete this lollipop loop.