Trudging through melting snow on the soggy Lion Gulch Trail, my mind was focused more on mountain lion attacks than homesteaders. Suspiciously large cat-like tracks wandered on and off the muddy trail. I was peeking over my shoulder with increasing regularity. A series of interconnecting paths and old wagon trails tour the homesteads, which are decaying at various rates. Historic markers and signs dot the landscape.
Elk inhabit the relatively flat meadows in the summer and fall.
Homestead Meadows was sold to the Forest Service in 1978, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. The area is a popular destination for hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders in the summer, and a trail network extends well beyond the homesteads. Spring and early summer are less crowded times. Camping is permitted with certain restrictions. All rights reserved.