Lulu City Trail — Ghost Town Hike from Grand Lake

Lulu City — A Rocky Mountain Ghost Town

Lulu City was a mining camp established in 1879 during a brief silver rush along the upper Colorado River in what is now Rocky Mountain National Park. The town was platted, businesses established, and miners arrived — but the silver proved insufficient to sustain the camp, and Lulu City was largely abandoned by 1883. Today only subtle remnants of the buildings remain, preserved by the NPS.

The Lulu City Trail follows the Colorado River upstream from the Colorado River Trailhead, passing through the same valley that hosted the brief mining boom. The trail is used as much for the river scenery and wildlife viewing as for the historical site.

The Trail Experience

The trail begins at the Colorado River Trailhead near Timber Creek Campground inside RMNP — approximately 5 minutes from Grand Lake Cabins properties. The path follows the river upstream through willow meadows and forest for 3.7 miles to the Lulu City site.

Moose are regularly seen along the river corridor throughout the trail. The upper Colorado River valley near Lulu City is particularly beautiful in fall when the aspen groves along the river turn gold.

Combining with Colorado River Trail

Lulu City Trail is an extension of the Colorado River Trail — you can hike the lower Colorado River Trail for moose viewing, then continue further to the historic site for a combined 7.4-mile experience. A park entry fee or America the Beautiful pass is required. No timed entry permit needed for this corridor.

Where It Starts

The Colorado River Trailhead sits at roughly 9,010 feet, about 9.5 miles north of the park entrance on Highway 34 — a drive of some length through the Kawuneeche Valley before the walking begins. Build that into the day rather than treating the trailhead as local.

Published distances split the usual way: around 3.5 miles is given one direction, with the full out-and-back closer to 7.3. Both listings that cover it rate it moderate and give a best season of roughly May through October.

A Walk to a Ghost Town

Lulu City was a silver-mining settlement that did not last, and what remains is foundations and clearings rather than standing buildings. The appeal is the setting and the walk in — the trail follows the Colorado River when it is still small enough to step across in places.

The same trailhead serves several longer routes, including Little Yellowstone at around 5.1 miles with roughly 1,021 feet of gain, and La Poudre Pass and Thunder Pass further on. Groups sometimes combine them; most do not.

The Valley Drive Is Part of It

The approach up the Kawuneeche Valley is where moose are most reliably seen, particularly early and late in the day. Groups driving to this trailhead at dawn frequently get the wildlife before the hike.

From the cabins the park entrance is five minutes, and the valley drive follows. It is worth allowing more time than the mileage suggests, both for the animals and because the road through the valley is not one to hurry.