Priest Gulch and Highline Driveway Loop Trail

Hiking the Priest Gulch and Highline Driveway Loop Trail may be a difficult undertaking, but the lovely woodland views and sense of accomplishment at having completed a 15.6mi hike will certainly be enough of a reward. This adventure will take up a large portion of your day, so be sure to plan your trip accordingly and start early in the morning.

Setting out from the parking area, you will make your way to the northeast along the footpath as it traverses a small meadow and enters into the forest. Here, you will begin the long and gradual uphill climb through the forested gulch, following along the banks of a stream as you traverse the rugged landscape. The elevation gain along this route is a fairly large 3927ft, so make sure to take your time and stop for plenty of water breaks.

After climbing uphill through the gulch, you will come to a peaceful meadow which offers a relaxing place to sit and rest for a while. From this point, you will follow the trail as it turns to the southwest and begins descending through a mixture of woodland terrain and meadows along a ridge. After traversing the rugged landscape here and enjoying the views, you will eventually make the final descent along a wide switchback to return to the trailhead.