Collin Gulf Loop


This loop begins near the town of Gruelti-Laager at the Collins West Access area. From there you proceed into the Collins Gulf to Suter Falls on the Collins Gulf Trail. You follow the Collins Gulf trail to the Connector Trail. After a brief time on the Connector Trail, you start on the the Stage Coach Road Historic Trail. This trail will bring you to the top of the east rim of the Collins Gulf and the Collins Gulf Trail. I consider this trail intersection to be about the halfway point. It takes about 3 hours from here to complete the loop. The loop remains on the rim of the plateau until the decent to the suspension bridge near the Collins East Campsite. The last few miles involve a difficult boulder field crossing that you don't want to do in the dark. The total distance from the parking area is about 14 miles and takes between 6 and 7 hours -without detours.

Some of the things to see on this hike:
*Great wildflowers: April - May
*Suter Falls and the dense Rhododendron forest
*Horse Pound Falls - a short detour (I rarely go there, just a small falls but a nice place to rest)
*Schwoon Spring - two remarkable caves, the lower stays at about 56 degrees all summer long, a great place to cool off. And the upper cave from which flows a creek. This cave is great to explore so bring water shoes and a flashlight.
*Cater Savage Cabin - a short detour. A pioneer cabin and historic site. Strangely enough, there is a large Asian pear tree in the clearing near the cabin, great fruit available in late summer.
*Stagecoach Historic Road - Very impressive stone work said to have been made with slave labor over a hundred and forty years ago.
*Bluff top overlooks from the rim
*Suspension bridge over the Collins River. Sometimes it's deep enough to take a refreshing (skinny) dip below the bridge. Highly recommended.
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Wildflower Season in the Collins Gulf



On the rim of the Collins Gulf - love to be close to the edge