Hike from Barlow Pass to Monte Cristo Townsite
Did you remember to pick up a parking pass (perhaps at the Verlot Ranger station), date it, and display it in your car?
Park on the right, just before the locked gate.
Make use of the facilities (across the road from parking lot.)
The Monte Cristo Preservation Association (www.mcpa.us) made a nice simplified map of the hike. View Download
The Forest Service link for this hike is http://www.fs.fed.us/r6/mbs/recreation/activities/trails/monte_cristo.htm
There is a trail to bypass the clay slide area. As of the end of June 2010, the bypass didn't seem necessary.
The river took out part of the bridge. At about 1 mile, there is a bypass trail leading to a big tree that crosses the river. The bypass starts at Weden Creek (Gothic Basin), trail #724 trailhead. There's a toilet here, in case you forgot to take care of things at Barlow Pass.
At 1.7 miles was the site of the old Weden House Station for the Everett and Monte Cristo Railroad. The station served as headquarters and warehouse for several of the mines located in the Weden Creek drainage and Gothic Basin. Look for an interpretive sign on the left (east) side of the road. A little towards town, on the other side of the trail, is a nice place to sit and rest by a stream (perhaps on the way back.)
At 2 miles (give or take) is the Haps Hill campground ... which has a toilet.
A little while later, look for railroad tracks exposed when the river ate away at the embankment. The rails were covered when the railroad to MC was converted into a road.
At 2.5 miles or so, the trail crosses what was known as Sylvan Creek (named after a mining claim in the area); later the name was changed to Pearsall Gulch. There may be more exposed tracks here ... but I didn't see them in June of 2010.
Monte Cristo Campground is at 4 miles, on the left. As is the last toilet. The campground was once part of the Rattler Mining Claim. 6 sites, fire pits, barbecue grills. There's an interpretive sign at the top of the trail leading to the campground.
The townsite is just beyond the campground; there's a bridge on the right over the stream/river.
Now proceed to the townsite tour.