The lower lake comes into view at the two-mile mark. One Colorado destination known for its jaw-dropping beauty is Island Lake in Southwest Colorado near Silverton. The left-hand trail is the correct way towards the Bluebird Lake trail system and Bluebird Lake. 1 backcountry site. Although it’s hard to go wrong, here’s a look at the best alpine lake hikes in Colorado for any ability level. The top of the pass is just about 13,000 feet, and from there you will get a wonderful view of Blue Lakes. Drive 0.1 mile to a small parking area on the right side of the road. This road is very well signed and in great shape all the way to its end. Head back toward the campgrounds as the trail eventually turns into road, which you can follow to your vehicle. The trails down towards the lakes is steep at some sections with many switchbacks. Hiking Trails. Best Hikes Rocky Mountain National Park features the best hiking throughout Rocky Mountain National Park - from easy, family-friendly strolls to popular panoramic vistas. Known for its alpine lakes, Colorado has a wide-variety of trails and lake scenery to choose from. Continue walking on the main road, when you come to a “Y”, take the left toward the pointed pyramid shaped mountain in the skyline. Snowmobiling. Drive a few hundred yards and turn right on the McCullough Gulch #851 Road. The Blue Lakes Trail #201 begins at the Blue Lakes Trailhead on Forest Service Road #851.1 and ends at the Blue Lakes Trailhead on Forest Service Road #853.1B. 23 Other Attractions within 5 miles. Climb higher above timberline and the basin opens up to reveal a massive bowl of 13,000-foot peaks, towering over a collection of bright blue alpine lakes, each seemingly bluer than the last. This is a very popular trail artery; arrive early to secure parking and avoid crowds. At 6254 feet, Blue Lake sits quietly a little over two trail miles from Highway 20. Mount Ethel, Colorado #117 Clark Buffalo Pass. Blue Lake, which is five miles from the trailhead, is a very popular destination or turn-around point. Blue Lake - 5.1 Miles Round-Trip Blue Lake (11,355') is located 2.55 miles from Mitchell Lake Trailhead in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area. Davis Peak, Colorado #116 Hahns Peak Steamboat Lake. Boettcher Lake, Colorado #116 Hahns Peak Steamboat Lake. There are two approaches to Odessa Lake, another magnificent feature of the Bear Lake region: a 4.1 mile route along the Flattop trail from Bear Lake, and a 4.5 mile route from the Fern Lake trailhead. Camping and Backpacking Information. Trail Map | Photo Gallery. Follow the trail across a flatter approach to Ice Lake and marvel at the deep blue-green color that changes as shadows cross the lake. 0 Restaurants within 5 miles. Any Activity. Further up FS436, if you have 4WD, there are more primitive sites. Distance: 8.0 miles. Just a short distance up FR436 from the Blue Lakes CG, there are 4? Best nearby. Turn right (west) on the Blue Lakes #850 Road. primitive spots if the FS has not closed them. Having taken the left-hand trail, the path soon crosses North St. Vrain Creek on a log bridge, one that recently was rebuilt to replace the bridge that washed out during the 2013 floods. Follow the Appalachian Trail to views of the Carvin Cove reservoir at the Hay Rock overlook. ATV Riding. Buffalo Ridge Trail. OHV Riding (>50”) Nordic Skiing. Blue Lake is pretty with its clear water and back drop of small bluffs of volcanic rock. 1182. Sprague Lake (372) 2.2 mi. Bear Lake Road, Rocky Mountain National Park, CO. Website +1 970-586-1206. With towering granite peaks, forests, meadows, wildflowers, and of course the beautiful mountain lake surrounded by granite that reaches for the sky, this short hike is easily a classic and should be on your must-hike list. Hiking the Ice Lakes Trail. We are in good shape and are fairly experienced hikers, so we chose to do the trail up to Ice Lake, then went over to Island Lake (a little sketchy in one part), and looped back around and down. Sneffels seems to grow in size and dominate you view as you get nearer. After .5 - .75 miles of easy walking the trail steepens again as it heads up towards the upper Ice Lake basin and the terrain is rather more rocky. Read all 386 reviews. The trail ascends through a forest of spruce/fir and reaches the Mt. This hike is as gorgeous as everyone says. The views of Mt. 1127. 1152.2A . Anstatt dass ich wählen Sie das Blue Lake … Bear Lake has 14 sites, some of which are more in open meadow. Crags Trail. AT to Big Rocky and returning on Saddle Gap trail. Just shy of 9 miles in exactly 5 hours and it was stunning! The trail to Bowen Lake, a 7 mile trek through thick forest, and the trail up Bowen Pass, a 7.5 mile, steep hike, are ideal for skilled hikers. Blue Lake Trail. Gem Lake Trail. Colorado Trail Explorer. Head west 4.7 miles on Colorado Highway 62 (Road towards Telluride) to the East Dallas Creek National Forest access road and turn south. Blue Lake CG has 14 - 16 sites and mostly forested. Our San Juan National Forest hidden gem is Island Lake, which is one of four amazingly incandescent bodies of glacial water (Ice, Clear and Fuller lakes are the other three) that can be found in the Upper Ice Lake Basin near the town of Silverton. Blue Lakes Trail, Telluride Picture: Waterfall section before getting to the lake - Check out Tripadvisor members' 3,357 candid photos and videos. Trails; Blue Lake Trail. With only 1050 feet of elevation gain this hike is doable for almost everyone. Big Rocky Row Loop. After passing through a gate, the trail reaches a “Y” at approximately 0.14 miles. The trail heads west over Spruce Creek (.1 miles) ... (removed square-like pieces of tree bark) and blue diamonds, which aid winter navigation. 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