Introduction
Segment 19 is a remote segment that runs from forest service road 787.2D to the Eddiesville Trailhead. The segment is 13.8 miles long. The first 6.9 miles of the segment follow small 4x4 roads and/or trails to Cochetopa Creek. The segment then follows along the beautiful Cochetopa Creek, cutting through the LaGarita Wilderness, until reaching the remote Eddiesville Trailhead.

Trailhead Access
Start - Forest Service Road Access
From Saguache, CO (see below for slightly different directions coming from Gunnison) - Drive west on HWY 114 for 35 miles until you reach a turnoff to the left for Rd 17GG. Drive on 17GG for 5.25 miles where it ends:

Turn left on NN14 and drive 1.1 miles. Turn right onto FS787 (also called 3088):

Drive for 3.8 miles where you will see a faint 4x4 road intersecting 787. This trail is marked 787.2D. This is the end of Segment 18 and the start of segment 19. There is no obvious parking area here. Here is a photo:

From Gunnison, CO - Drive east on HWY 50 for 8.1 miles from Main Street in Gunnison and turn south on HWY 114. Drive 19 miles to a turnoff to the right (south) for NN14. Continue on NN14 for 8.1 miles to the right turn for FS787 (also called 3088): Follow above for the remaining directions...

END - Eddiesville Trailhead
Please see the segment 20 TH information for access to the Eddiesville TH and the end of segment 19.

Trail Details
Segment 19 begins at the start of FS 787.2D (see directions above). The first 1/2 of Segment 19 follows forest service roads that are seldom used and can require 4-wheel drive in some areas. Begin at the start of the forest service road (waypoint 1) at 9,537ft. At 0.15 miles you will reach a trail junction but follow the obvious CT signs that mark the way. At just over a mile (waypoint 3) you will reach the top of a hill that is marked with a CT/CDT signpost. Pass through a fence at 1.25 miles (waypoint 4). At 2.15 and 2.35 mile markers there are consecutive trail/road junctions. Both of these junctions are well marked with CT/CDT markers. The second junction (waypoint 6) crosses over a wetlands area that is fenced off. At 3.15 miles pass through a fence that may or may not have a gate. At waypoint 8/mile 3.75/9,894ft you will join the Van Tassel Gulch Road. Stay left at this junction. At this junction you are just over 1/2 way to Cochetopa Creek.

After getting on the Van Tassel Gulch Road, continue to mile marker 5.35 where you will encounter another confusing trail junction. The correct road is marked as of May 2010 with a post that reads FS597.1A and has a CT marker. This is waypoint 9 and this point also marks the highpoint of this segment at 10,409ft. You will have done 872ft of elevation gain to this point.

At 5.6 miles you will pass through a fence/gate that has a yellow FS sign on it. There is water available here to your left. At 6.8 miles you will reach a confusing trail/road junction near a cattle pond. Nothing is marked in this area but it is clear that Cochetopa Creek is not far away and your route is clear. If you need a description of this area here is a graphic:

NOTE: I would not use the water in the cattle pond. It should be treated as very suspect. Cochetopa Creek is a very short distance away and has more reliable water. There is no reason to use the pond.

Passing over a short hill next to the pond you will begin your descent down to Cochetopa Creek and it's broad valley. Leave the road at mile 7.0 near where the road ends. Just 0.1 miles beyond leaving the road there is a sign indicating the Skyline Trail #465. This is waypoint 13. You will now hike through this valley all the way to the Eddiesville TH. The trail splits at Waypoint 14 at 7.45 miles. Be sure to stay to the high (left) trail as the right trail passes down toward the creek. At 7.55 miles there is a nice campsite off to your right, near the creek. DO NOT use this campsite as it is way too close to the creek. There are other places to camp in the area that adhere to proper LNT (Leave No Trace) ethics. At 8.20 miles there is a signpost on your left near some large boulders.

There is a signpost at mile 8.85. I found this post laying on the ground but managed to fix it:

Continue on and find a badly eroded short downhill that leads to a signpost at mile 9.65. This is photo waypoint 18. You are now descending down to the creek. You will have to cross Cochetopa Creek at 9.75 miles. There are 2 footbridges here to aid you in crossing. See the photo section for a photo of this waypoint and creek crossing. After crossing Cochetopa Creek make a quick right hand turn up through a craggy area and follow the obvious trail now on the west side of the valley. You will not cross Cochetopa Creek again.

Waypoint 20 is a signpost along the trail that you encounter at mile 10.55, 0.8 miles after crossing the creek. Reach a footbridge at mile 10.82 and then immediately cross through the marked La Garita wilderness boundary. At the wilderness boundary you are just under 3 miles from the end of the segment.

There is a poorly constructed barbed wire and wood gate at mile 12.1. Be sure to close the gate behind you. Waypoint 24 is a CT/CDT signpost on the right side of the trail. Continuing on the trail from this point you will begin to see some larger peaks in the distance. Pass a small rock bridge over a small seasonal stream at mile 12.55. The end of the segment is the Eddieville TH at mile marker 13.80.