Highland Mary Trail Loop

This Trail leads you to a set of "locally famous" Lakes which occupy an Alpine Basin "at the top of the Rockies". The Trailhead is at the Far Southern End of the Cunningham Gulch Road (same road as the 100 Years Mine Tour and the Stony Pass 4x4 Trail across the Continental Divide - both are 2-3 miles North of the Trailhead). Because of the aforementioned attractions, the bulk of the Road is in quite Good Condition (until the last 1/2mile and the last Creek Crossing - High Clearance but not necessarily 4x4). There is a BLM Pit Toilet about halfway along the Road - use it if needed as there is nothing at the Trailhead. The Trailhead has room for a dozen vehicles, but is often rather busy (there are 2-3 other parking areas only a little way down the road). The Trail quickly starts to climb into the Weminuche Wilderness. Shortly one reaches one of the spots where you need to "rock climb" in numerous 2-3ft "stairs" with good handholds (this trail is off-limits to stock - and probably to any short-legged Dog that you don't plan to carry up several of these places). The Trail has climbs relieved by short near-level stretches as it parallels the infrequently-seen creek, until at the 1/3 mark with an open meadow backed by a waterfall (and another climb). At about the 2/3rd point, the Trail makes an "unannounced" right-hand creek crossing (across a number of rocks/logs). Then you climb into an intermediate Basin filled with shrubs and wildflowers. The final climb crosses a talus/boulder field, and then quickly arrives at the "Smallest Lake" of Highland Mary. To the left around this "Smallest Lake" is a great vantage back down the sweep of Cunningham Gulch. To the right, the Trail creeps past the lakeshore and over a small hump to the "Middle Highland Mary" Lake (several times larger/longer than "Smallest Lake"). The Trail continues along this lakeshore about 1/2mi before crossing another hump and finding the inflow end of the "Large Highland Mary" Lake. Behind the "Largest Lake" is a rather mundane 800ft ridgeline and rounded Peak. The Trail otherwise bypasses this "Largest Lake" and proceeds beyond over a saddle to Verde Lake and a Trail that can be made into a multi-day Loop Trail using the CDT to return to the Cunningham Gulch Trailhead.