From the top of the falls, stay on the road and pass a tin-roofed shed where the road switches upward, sharply to the left, away from the creek. Blue Lakes Trail makes for a gorgeous hike by turquoise alpine lakes and the jagged peaks of Yankee Boy Basin. Length 8.6 miElevation gain 2503 ftRoute type Out & back Snowmobiling. If stormy weather makes above-treeline camping iffy, find a protected spot on the north shore of Lower Blue Lake. Total Hiking Distance: 8.6 miles Driving Distance to Trailhead: Near Telluride | 364 miles | 6 hours and 52 minutes. Looking southwest across Blue Lake Horses are also able to use this trail. The campground is a quarter mile up the hill above the lake. The above information does not replace the need to consult additional maps and Colorado Fourteener Guidebooks for … Photo courtesy of Denis LeBlanc via Outdoor Project. The Blue Lakes trail, starting at the north end of the trailhead parking lot (see driving directions below), passes through a gate and soon reaches a signed “Y” intersection. There is plenty of fishing, swimming, camping, and even small, easy hiking trails that provide plenty of family fun. Filmed in early August of 2020. This adventure is is suitable as a day hike or as a backpacking trip (with an optional hike up Mount Sneffels, a local 14er). It's one of three alpine lakes in upper Glacier Gorge accessible by cross-country routes, and arguably the easiest of them to reach. Blue Lakes Dispersed Camping in White River National Forest, Blue River Colorado. Not so much an alpine lake hike as it is a recreation hot spot, Wellington Lake is an awesome place to explore earlier in the season before the alpine lakes in Colorado are thawed. Like. Description. Facilities -Small paved parking lot / no restrooms / no water. The weather made for quite an adventure. Blue Lakes are part of a cluster of lakes 12 miles south of Highway 88 at Hope Valley. The Blue Lakes can be accessed via an 8-mile round-trip hike, beginning at the Blue Lake Trailhead off County Road 7. A short 2.4 mile climb to the north past Blue Lake and a descent to a junction with West Branch trail (#960) allow easy access to Island and Carey Lakes, the Rawah Trail (#961), Twin Crater Lakes, and Grassy Pass. Eagle – Holy Cross Ranger District – Camping Information Eagles Nest Wilderness . Usage is heavy in both summer and winter. Here the trail to Blue Lakes branches right and ascends on moderate grades through a forest of Engelmann spruce and pines along the right (west) of East Fork Dallas Creek. The trail ascends a valley along the East Fork of Dallas Creek where it leads to the three pristine mountain lakes, Lower Blue Lake, Middle Blue Lake and Upper Blue Lake. Biking. Sneffels trailhead (outside of Ouray; see link) or by the more popular Dallas Creek Trail (the direction described here). As mentioned earlier, Mount Sneffels is often climbed as a day trip from the Blue Lakes. Details. Up about a mile-and-a-half is the northern end of the North Fork Trail. Phone: 719-269-8500. “You don’t need climbing gear,” says Brad Wallis, the Wilderness Trail Coordinator for the Ouray Trail … The final approach is up a couloir on the southeast side of Sneffels. Starting at 10,390′ elevation and reaching 12,000′ this hike has it all. Heather Blackmon Located between Montrose and Telluride, the Blue Lakes are situated in a glacial basin and make for gorgeous hiking destinations in Colorado's Mount Sneffels Wilderness. OHV Riding (>50”) Nordic Skiing. Trip to Blue Lakes, Colorado (near Telluride) during monsoon season! It also provides access to Blue Lakes, three deep, dark blue lakes, each more gorgeous than the last. Sneffels and the Dallas Creek drainage area. At the Blue Lakes basin, the Sneffels summit is a must: Continue 2.4 miles on the Blue Lakes Trail to the pass by the same name, then take the class 3 ridgeline .8 mile to the summit. Trail on East Fork Dallas Creek, Blue Lakes, and Sneffels Creek in Uncompahgre National Forest, Mount Sneffels Wilderness. Hiking. Colorado Trail Explorer. The route travels through Yankee Boy Basin and cuts off north from the Blue Lakes Pass Trail. Get Here. Directions: At the northern foot of Cuchara Pass on State Highway 12 there is a dirt road leading west for 4 miles to Blue Lake. May Queen is the only campground at the west end of Turquoise Lake, at about 10,000 feet. Motorcycle Riding. The trail continues past Upper Blue Lake to the 13,000 foot Blue Lake … Colorado Hiking Tips. The second loop is very small in a stand of mature spruce and fir trees. The most notable are the Twin Crater lakes, Blue Lake, and Camp Lake. One loop is larger and more open. Blue Lake, which is five miles from the trailhead, is a very popular destination or turn-around point. Mohawk Lakes Trail is one of Colorado’s best day hikes. It was busy. Moderate - Access from the top of Bridal Veil Falls. If you’re new to Colorado hiking, know that this state presents some unique … The campground is a short walk from Blue Lake, located on the eastern slopes of Sangre de Cristo Grant and is composed of two loops. Sneffels Wilderness area of the Uncompahgre National Forest. Both lakes are surrounded and protected by a ¼-mile camping closure zone. The trail down to the lake is 1.5 miles long. ATV Riding. When you reach the summit of Blue Lakes Pass you will be treated to a gorgeous view of Upper Blue Lake 1,270 feet below. We strapped on our packs, passed the cold items from the cooler to the bear canister (recommended, several hikers mentioned that a bear lives in the area), and headed off. The Lowdown: Blue Mesa Reservoir spans 20 miles and is filled to the brim with activities. The trail offers a number of activity options. Any Activity. Blue Lakes Trail . The Blue Lakes trail is located in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness Area of the Mountain Division of the Uncompahgre National Forest between Ridgway and Telluride, Colorado. Approximately 4 hours round trip covering 5 1/4 miles with an elevation gain of 2,000 feet. My Final Backpacking Trip of the Year: Blue Lakes, Colorado The National Geographic trail map is very detailed and does a nice job highlighting the lakes along the trail which are definitely worth stopping at. See 2 traveler reviews, 8 photos and blog posts The Blue Lakes are located in an extremely scenic glacial basin within the 16,566-acre Mt. There are no designated camp sites in the Rawah Wilderness so … Saturday, 7/23/16, 4:00 PM: After driving 7+ hours from Denver, we arrived at the parking lot for the Blue Lakes Trail. Horseback Riding. AllTrails/Ashley Hyatt To learn more about the Blue Lakes and current conditions, please visit the U.S. Forest Service's website . Located in the Roosevelt National Forest, this TH provides primary access to the main trail network of the Rawah Wilderness, in the southern portion of the Medicine Bow Range, via the Blue Lake Trail. The drive to the trailhead is quite spectacular, and offers outstanding panoramic views of Mt. Blue Lake. Operated by Pacific Gas and Electric Company, the lakes serve as water storage for downstream hydro-electric plants.Four main campgrounds, plus an expansion campground are open as soon as the road is plowed free of snow in early summer. Camping is also possible near the west end of the Blue Lake Trail at approximately GPS N4038.11 W10554.93), a little northeast of where this trail crosses the West Branch of the Laramie River. It can be done as an out-and-back from either the Mt. Route Description for Blue Lake Trail Begin this hike at the Mitchell Lake Trailhead in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area inside Indian Peaks Wilderness. San Juan Hut Systems, the original hut to hut adventure, offers the best in mountain biking, skiing and hiking hut trips in Colorado and Utah, including multi-day trips from Telluride, Durango, Paradox, Gateway, Moab, Ouray, Ridgway, and more. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/blue-lakes-trail--2 Lower, Middle and Upper Blue Lakes is a 8.6 mile out and back trail located near Ridgway, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as difficult. Hike into the Holy Cross and Mount Massive wilderness areas, or on the Colorado Trail… Blue Lakes Trail. This location can accommodate several tents. Blue Lake - 11.0 Miles Round-Trip Blue Lake (11,165') is located 5.5 miles from Glacier Gorge Trailhead in Rocky Mountain National Park. Climbing the attractive Blue Lakes Path within the Mt Sneffels Wilderness, Colorado. 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