Cannibal Plateau facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Cannibal Plateau |
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Cannibal Plateau viewed from the east.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 12,533 ft (3,820 m) |
| Prominence | 402 ft (123 m) |
| Isolation | 1.56 mi (2.51 km) |
| Geography | |
 Cannibal Plateau
Location in Colorado
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| Location | Hinsdale County, Colorado, U.S. |
| Parent range | San Juan Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS 7.5' topographic map Cannibal Plateau |
Cannibal Plateau is a large mountain top, also called a summit. It is located in Hinsdale County, Colorado, in the United States. This wide mountain stands at 12,533-foot (3,820 m) high. It is part of the San Juan Mountains. You can find it inside the Powderhorn Wilderness. This is a special protected area. It is looked after by the Bureau of Land Management and the Gunnison National Forest.
Cannibal Plateau got its name from a historical event. This event involved a person named Alferd Packer. The place where this event happened is near Lake City. This town is about 8 miles (13 km) southwest of the plateau.
What is Cannibal Plateau Made Of?
Cannibal Plateau is made of basaltic lava flows. These are types of rock that came from volcanoes. They are part of something called the Hinsdale Formation. Scientists believe these rocks are about 16 to 19 million years old.
These lava flows are thought to be some of the last volcanic events in the San Juan volcanic field. This means they are very well-preserved. The Hinsdale Formation lava flows create a huge high-up area. The two highest parts of this area are Cannibal Plateau and Calf Creek Plateau.
Hiking to the Top
One of the easiest ways to reach the top starts at the Powderhorn Lakes Trailhead. This is at the north edge of the wilderness. You can follow the Powderhorn Lakes Trail for about 1.4 miles (2.3 km).
When the trail turns toward Powderhorn Lakes, you leave it. Then, you hike about 3.0 miles (4.8 km) up a ridge. You will walk through meadows and then alpine tundra. This leads you to the wide top of Calf Creek Plateau. From there, it is another 2.3 miles (3.7 km) hike. You walk across the tundra to Cannibal Plateau.
To do this, you first go down to a low point called a saddle. This saddle is about 12,080-foot (3,682 m) high. Then, you climb about 450 feet (137 m) up to the Cannibal Plateau summit. The whole trip there and back is about 13.5 miles (21.7 km) long. You will climb a total of 2,600 feet (792 m) in elevation. This includes climbing 600 feet (183 m) back up to Calf Creek Plateau on your way back. The views on this high-altitude hike are amazing!
You can also reach Cannibal Plateau from other trails. These include the Devil’s Creek Trailhead to the west. There are also the Deer Lakes, Brush Creek, and Powderhorn Park trailheads to the south. All these paths start in forests. Then, they open up into the beautiful high-mountain views of the Powderhorn Wilderness.
