Homestead Meadows, listed on the National Registry of Historic Places, contains the remains of over a dozen cabins from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The Lion's Paw Trail ventures deep into lower and upper-montane ecosystems, a rich composite of arable land, abundant natural resources and perennial streams to the Engert, Laycook, Boren and Hill homesteads. Visitors will enjoy lengthy intervals of diverse forests, expansive meadows and exceptional wildlife viewing opportunities en route to these important historical sites.

The Lion Gulch Trail eases by a slender meadow before splitting off toward Pierson Park

Aspens are ubiquitous on the Lion's Paw Trail

Elk are frequently seen grazing these food-rich meadows

Open slopes and ponderosa parks between 4.5 and 5.5 miles on the Lion's Paw Trail

The Laycook Homestead

The trail skirts several large meadows, which are excellent places to see wildlife

Young aspen near the Boren Homestead

The Lion Gulch Trail follows a gushing stream for 3 miles to Homestead Meadows

The Lion's Paw Trail provides an occasional glimpse of the Twin Sisters and other peaks to the southwest

Diverting stretches through sparsely filled spaces along the Lion's Paw Trail

Remains of the Boren Homestead