Masontown Loop

Dogs Unknown

E-Bikes Unknown

A short, technical tour of the aspen groves above the south end of Frisco, with a bone-jarring finish.

The short loop climbs the Peaks Trail to Masontown Trail (No. 9077), then connects to the Mount Royal Trail (No. 1).

Both the Peaks Trail and the Mount Royal Trail are popular hiking trails.

From the Peaks Trail trailhead at the south end of 2nd Avenue in Frisco, climb the Peaks Trail to Rainbow Lake. The Masontown Trail (No. 9077) begins on the west side of the lake. The intersection is marked. Turn right and follow the marker post for Masontown Trail No. (9077) passing Bill's Ranch Trail (No. 9000).

The trail contours through several creek crossing and a particularly wide, boggy section of trail. Hopefully, the Forest Service will restore this area. There is a bypassing trail above the bog on the left, although it is quite rooty, and slippery.

Shortly after this bog, Hattie's Trail (No. 9078) forks to the right. There is only a through post (with arrows in both directions) for the Masontown Trail at this y-intersection.

The trail begins to climb quite steeply along a creek. After a short distance, there is another fork in the trail. Take the right fork (the left climbs more steeply, and slightly higher up to Mount Royal Trail). In a few hundred feet, intersect Mount Royal Trail (No. 1).

Turn right and descend a very technical mile back to the Temple Trail recpath. Just before the pavement, the Temple Trail social singletrack connects back to the Peaks Trail trailhead.

The remains of Masontown are located just uphill of the Mount Royal Trail - Masontown Trail intersection. The town was demolished by several avalanches in the early 1900's.

More information can be found here: summithistorical.org/Masont….