White River National Forest: Sapphire Point Trail (Blog Hike #819)

Trail: Sapphire Point Trail
Hike Location: White River National Forest, Swan Mountain Recreation Area
Geographic Location: east of Frisco, CO (39.58725, -106.04393)
Length: 0.7 miles
Difficulty: 1/10 (Easy)
Date Hiked: July 2020
Overview: A short gently rolling loop with great views of Dillon Reservoir.
Area Information: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whiteriver/recarea/?recid=40879
Hike Route Map: https://www.mappedometer.com/?maproute=825279
Photo Highlight:

Hike Video: 

Directions to the trailhead: In central Colorado, take I-70 to SR 9 (exit 203).  Exit and go south on SR 9.  Drive SR 9 south 3.6 miles to Swan Mountain Road and turn left on Swan Mountain Rd.  The signed roadside parking area for Sapphire Point Overlook is located 1.9 miles ahead on the left.

The hike: Sprawling for 2.3 million acres on the west side of Colorado's Continental Divide, White River National Forest is America's most visited national forest.  The forest was established in 1891 as the White River Plateau Timber Reserve, the second timber reserve in the United States.  The forest contains 8 wilderness areas and several developed areas of regional fame, including the Maroon Bells Scenic Area, the Vail Pass Winter Recreation Area, and the Historic Crystal Mill mining site.

            White River National Forest's Swan Mountain Recreation Area does not have the fame of some of the forest's other areas, but it protects some steep and scenic terrain on the north side of its namesake mountain.  Paved bike trails start from the nearby towns of Frisco and Dillon and lead up the side of Swan Mountain, and they provide access to Sapphire Point, the location of this short hike.  The views of Dillon Reservoir and the mountains beyond make Sapphire Point a popular destination.  In fact, the small roadside parking lot was nearly full on the late July morning I came here.  Thus, the bike paths give an alternate non-motorized way to reach this trailhead during the summer.

Trailhead at Sapphire Point

            The loop goes both directions from the parking lot, but I started on the trail that leaves the big map board on the left (west) side of the parking area, thus hiking the loop clockwise.  The wide dirt trail quickly arrives at Sapphire Point's main overlook.  This view looks southwest across the Blue River arm of Dillon Reservoir, and ridge-like Ophir Mountain stands off in the distance.  This overlook was a very popular spot on my visit, and I also saw a large number of chipmunks begging for bites to eat here.

View from main overlook

            Many people just walk out to the overlook, but the trail curves right at the overlook to continue its loop.  The sidehill trail heads east across Swan Mountain's steep north face, which features a moderately dense forest of lodgepole pines.  More nice views unfold to the north, and they feature the snow-capped peaks of Chief Mountain and Buffalo Mountain.

Hiking sidehill trail

View from picnic area

            At 0.35 miles, you reach a small picnic area that offers northward views across the length of Dillon Reservoir to Ptarmigan Mountain.  This picnic area is only accessible by trail, but there were several groups here on my visit.  The bike path coming up from Dillon comes in view downhill to the left as the trail curves right.  Too soon you return to the parking area to complete the hike.