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 Reporter |
Summary: This trail takes you into the James Peak wilderness. The first part is an old jeep trail that will take you up to WP22, from there a new trail heads up to crater lakes. This trail fades in a couple places since it is not well defined yet, but push on and you will find it again. Bring your fishing gear in the summer. Trailhead: From Boulder, head west on Canyon Blvd which is Hwy 119 to the town of Nederland. Continue south on Hwy 119 to Rollinsville. Turn west on E. Portal road for about 7.5 miles to the trailhead. The trailhead is by the east portal entrance of the train tunnel, proceed NW to the trail that goes over the tunnel entrance. (Lat:39.90294 Lon:-105.64399) Trail Guides for crater lakes: Best Seasons: Year-Round User Groups: Hikers, Dogs, Horses, Ranger Contact: USDA Forest Service - Boulder Ranger District, 303–541-2500 Localhikes Reporter: This hike was submitted by Dennis Camell, who has posted 21 other hikes on this site Trail Reviews Submit your own review 
Reviewed by Chris on 8/23/2009 Great hike. It was about two weeks past prime wild flower season. Still a fair number of flowers. My odometer said 8.2 miles to the tunnel. You park literally at the tunnel entrance. Since this is the parking area for two other hikes (Rogers summit and Forest Lakes) there were at least 100 cars at the parking lot on a Sunday at noon. It was one of the more crowded hikes we have done. Lots of overnight campers coming down from Crater Lakes. I would do the hike again. Don't miss the third lake. Rangers were enforcing the leash law since it is a Wilderness area. A more ambitious hike would be to figure out a way to get to Forest Lakes from Crater lake and do loop. Early August on a weekday would be the best time for this hijke. 
Reviewed by Michael on 6/13/2009 The plants are green, the first lake is just starting to melt. Snow for the last mile and around the lakes. Wild Cucumbers are sprouting up with a few spring flowers. There were a few trout swimming near the shore. I would recommend this hike.
Reviewed by MR on 6/13/2009 Had great rolling creeks through-out hike and trail was well maintained with cross bridges and step sections! Beautiful mile and a half section of hanging moss in conifer woods! Sounds of creek stay with you and the lakes although still a bit frozen were under beautiful backdrop of high alpine range! Still a bit of snow near lakes so where boots! Perfect distance for short use!
Reviewed by PG on 5/14/2009 We hiked in eary May and the trail was mostly covered in snow. I wish we would have been better prepared by wearing boots. The trail was very pleasant, not to hard and lots of places to rest and take in the view, although the snow made it hard to find the trail sometimes.
Reviewed by Jen on 7/14/2008 This hike was outstanding. We went went in mid-July - there was still a few snow banks near the lake, but they were easily avoided. The trail was very well defined and had markers along the way to help stay on track. The last mile or so of the hike to the lake gets a little steep, but the rest of the trail is very easy. There were tons of wild flowers every where and most of the hike is near a river. We saw several waterfalls along the way. I Would definitely recommend this hike to anyone.
Reviewed by Franny on 7/4/2007 This is a fantastic hike! It is perfect for families, though it will be strenuous in parts for young ones: your pre and teens will have a great day! The trail is clearly marked and well maintained. The lake is beautiful. Bring the fishing gear, a dog and a picnic...you won't be disappointed!
Reviewed by CR on 6/10/2007 Good hike, but it's still snowpacked above 10,000 (Moffat Tunnel at 9200'). A good dayhike, and you can visit other lakes if you are adventurous (Arapahoe and Forest Lakes). Will be awhile until full snowmelt, but still a nice getaway. Listen for the tunnel fans resonating in the valley and get treated to an array of train traffic.
Reviewed by Nick on 5/29/2007 I did a solo hike & 3 day stay amidst the snow drifts at The Crater Lakes area in late June 2005. I couldn't say enough great things about the area & I almost don't want to, so as to keep it as pristine as it is now. The 'trail' up was mostly non existant & steep for a pack hike... I would leave 4 hours 1 way, stay well south of the main outlet stream both ways. Great campsites on the north side of the lower lake. Snow drifts are deep well into late June (snow shoes would be good ) Big brook trout in the lower lake (higher lakes were still frozen) Heard a bear just after dark while eating dinner, made some noise & had no encouner. Watch & listen for dangerous spots with under snow streams & runoff in the early summer. ENJOY!!! Notice: Traveling in the backcountry can be hazardous. You are responsible for informing yourself about these hazards and taking necessary precautions. Information on this web site comes from volunteer reporters and may contain errors or omissions. A current guidebook and proper equipment are essential for safe enjoyment of the hikes posted on this site. Keys: Colorado Hiking, Colorado Trails, Colorado Hikes, Gilpin County Hiking, Gilpin County Trails, Gilpin County Hikes | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
