Flowers Trail 939
From USHikingtrails
Flowers Trail 939
This hike describes in greater detail the Flowers Trail route up to a crashed WWII Era B17 off Crown Point described per Crown_Point_B-17_Crash_Site-Old_Flowers_Trail_939
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- Note: I consider myself to be in pretty good shape. We spent ~45 minutes exploring the wreck. I would definitely assume 6 hours minimum.
Maps & Trailhead Directions
Flowers Trailhead
Near To: Jack's Gulch Campground, Colorado
Driving Directions To Trailhead
Up Poudre Canyon, 26.5 miles from Ted's Place to the Pingree Park Rd (CR 63E). Turn left on CR63E and cross the river over the small steel trestle bridge. Proceed ~6 miles on CR63E and turn right onto CR152 into Jack's Gulch Campground. Proceed straight through Jack's Gulch on CR152 for approximately 3.5 miles. The road will split in several locations, continue due West at every intersection. You will know you are on the right road as you pass Bedsprings Spring on the left (an old steel water trough), and an informative sign describing Aspen growth in the area a little further along. The road will dead end at the trail head inside a grove of trees. The road does become quite rough in spots, but with care and a little indifference a car could make the trip when the road is dry.
The trail head is well marked by a standard trail sign and rail fence a few yards west out of the parking lot. On the south end of the parking lot just inside the trees you will find a commemorative plaque listing the crew of the ill fated B17. Photo below.
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Flowers Trailhead Maps and Satellite Images
Maps & Images Lat: 40.64379 Long: -105.58092
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Trail & Hike Description
This page describes in specific detail the eastern Flowers Trail approach to the B17 crash off Crown point from Crown Point B-17 Crash Site-Old Flowers Trail_939. I've added all my B-17 photos to that page rather than split the B17 info across multiple pages. Referring to my elevation profile and GPS track you should immediately be aware that this trail is difficult in terms of distance and grade. Unlike most trails this steep there are no switch backs. You are quite literally headed straight up the mountain side for almost 2/3rds of the hike. The trail also comprises loose rock anywhere from golf ball to softball size the entire trip. Coupled with the steep grades and high altitude this hike is strenuous and very hard on your knees and ankles. Particularly on the hike down.
The trail winds through dense forest almost the entire route with few opportunities for grandiose views of the surrounding area. Again this provides welcome shade, but deprives you of the better views afforded from the Brown's Lake trail head.
Approximately 1.5 miles in the trail breaks into an open hillside with sparse patches of aspen. In the valley a short distance below are several Beaver Ponds (photo). This would be a great camping spot if you're looking for a very short backpack trip. I believe these are also the beaver ponds two of the surviving B17 crew members encountered the fishermen that took them back to town to call for help.
After the beaver ponds the trail drops into a ravine and follows a river for about 0.75miles at which point the trail crosses the river. There is a simple foot bridge at the crossing however it is in ill repair and in late June when I did this hike was under water due to heavy runoff. There is, fortunately, a fallen tree that people are now using to cross. My only caution is the tree bark is a little rotten on top and tends to break away easily making the tree slippery.
From here forward the hike essentially heads up the mountainside with relatively little break in the trees barring one spot at about 3.5 miles into the hike where you come out on a brief flat with sparse trees. This allows limited views to the western mountains and Crown Point.
Within about 0.1 to 0.2 miles of the crash you will depart from the well marked trail and begin bushwhacking to the crash site. The terrain is fairly rough with numerous fallen trees and snow in late spring/early summer. Use caution as many of the dead, but still standing, small trees are easily knocked over.
The plane wreckage is scatted over perhaps a 100 yard area. My waypoint is taken between where the engines lie, which is my best estimate of the center of the crash. The wreckage itself is largely scattered and no portion of the aircraft is large enough to have allowed survivors. This leads me to lend support for the theory the Army used dynamite to demolish the air frame. Picking through the wreckage you will find all kinds of bits and pieces. A bit of an old gun canopy, the engines, old tool boxes, etc. Near the center of the wreckage you will find an area that is oddly clear of debris surrounded with buts of molten aluminum. Again I'm not expert but I would imagine the dynamite was placed here.
The big mystery for me is a 50 gallon oil drum filled with (best guess) cement. I find it hard to believe the Army would haul it up the mountian for the fun of it. I also find it hard to believe they would carry such a heavy weight around on the aircraft for the fun of it. It's purpose is a mystery to me. Perhaps it is a dummy bomb for target practice?
External Links & References
I laid this into Google Maps here.
I'd love to upload a GPX with a route but apparently you can only upload images.
Flowers Trail 939 Picture Gallery
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Click on the picture to see a larger version. Contribute additional pictures - the more the better! |
 Commemorative plaque at old flowers trail head |
 River crossing on the Flowers Trail |
