Winter? The 1.8 mile path (TR 1975) to Crater Lake and other places beyond leaves the Maroon Lake scenic loop at the far end of the lake and soon crosses the boundary of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.It heads up the densely wooded slope on the north side of the canyon, through a … Tobacco Lake near Conejos Peak - photo by Alan Ellis: The Board of Geographic Names does not recognize the area as a separate range, although the area is largely designated a wilderness area bearing the name "South San Juan Wilderness", and is among the most rugged wildeness areas left in the state. We drove south into the San Juan Mountains, passing through Ouray and Silverton, before arriving at Andrews Lake and parking in the upper lot. — at South San Juan Wilderness. This 5.5-mile hike is on the western fringe of the wilderness, and offers only moderate elevation gain as it climbs to a pretty mountain lake brimming with fish. Lobo Overlook. Visitors are requested to contact a Forest Service Office for the regulations governing use of the Continental Divide Trail which passes through the South San Juan Wilderness Area. Shortly after you begin descending, you will see a sign for the South San Juan Wilderness boundary. The visitor quickly reaches timberline. Situated south of Platoro Reservoir, this 17.7 mile hike offers a mix of wooded valleys, alpine meadows and a an exhilerating stretch of the Continental Divide Trail. Map of Proposed Crater Lake Wilderness I've spent countless nights in the Colorado backcountry, and while we did not see a bear during our stay, the signs of active bears around this lake were vastly greater than any other location I've visited in Colorado since 2004. Crater Lake is located in the Weminuche Wilderness Area of the San Juan National Forest near Silverton, Colorado. Permits & Regulations No permits required, but LNT camping is a must. The South San Juan Wilderness is located in the San Juan National Forest, east of Pagosa Springs, in southern Colorado. The South San Juan Wilderness is located in the San Juan National Forest, east of Pagosa Springs, in southern Colorado. Set up at least 100 feet from water, disperse wastewater, and ask rangers about closed lakeside sites and other local restrictions. As you continue to round the ridge, the peaks behind Crater Lake will begin to emerge. Located in Southern Colorado’s Weminuche Wilderness, Fourmile Falls is a beautiful day hike perfect for hikers and photographers. I also must mention, please responsibly pack-in-pack out and make your best effort to leave no trace. Saturday & Sunday, July 13-14, 2019. The wilderness boundary extends from south of Hwy 160 to just north of Hwy 17. Hiking Colorado's Weminuche and South San Juan Wilderness Areas, by Donna Ikenberry, $17. Visiting the South San Juan Wilderness In 1870, gold and silver was discovered in area, which lead to a small boom i... Treasure Falls is reached via short .4 mile walk from the parking lot on highway 160 about 15 miles outside Pagosa Springs (which is home to the worlds deepest hot springs). Permits & Regulations No permits required, but LNT camping is a must. In summer it's a modest 2.5-mile hike. The last known grizzly bear in Colorado was killed in the wilderness in 1979. Turn left onto Andrews Lake Road. Weminuche Wilderness Area, San Juan National Forest, near Silverton in Southwest Colorado, North Twilight Peak (13,075) and its reflection in the waters of Crater Lake, A scenic hike to a pretty lake nestled beneath North Twilight Peak (13,158). Wilderness Areas: San Juan National Forest encompasses 4 Wilderness areas which make the perfect backpacking experience. See here for TOPO Map and more detail. Nestled in a basin on the east side of a rugged ridge that is dominated by Twilight Peak (13,158 feet) the scenic lake is fishable for cutthroat trout using flies and artificial lures. The last known grizzly bear in Colorado was killed in the wilderness in 1979. This 5.5-mile hike is on the western fringe of the wilderness, and offers only moderate elevation gain as it climbs to a pretty mountain lake brimming with fish. From this point, you will begin a descent down a short section back down to the official Continental Divide itself (just above 12,000'), where the Crater Lake trail then breaks back off from the CDT. Just below the lake's outlet, the creek is loosely filled with logs and driftwood, and absolutely teaming with rainbow, cutthroat and even what looked to me to be some hybrid "cutbow" trout. 3. On September 23, 1979 a sow grizzly was killed near Blue Lake by a bow hunter. All Rights Reserved. Distance from Trailhead: 11.8 miles (round trip) Ending/Highest Elevation: 11,770-ft. Elevation Gain: 1,000-ft. For panoramic views of the peaks to the west and south of Molas Pass along with a restricted view of the Needles, hike to the obvious saddle (11,770-ft.) southwest of the lake. | Fine art landscape photography | Nature images and pictures | Photography tips | Arizona | Colorado | Utah | New Mexico Some believe that it is still home to a few grizzlies, but there is no sufficient evidence yet to prove this. Visitors are requested to contact a Forest Service Office for the regulations governing use of the Continental Divide Trail which passes through the South San Juan Wilderness Area. This trail actually descends, beginning from a good dirt road near Elwood Pass in the mountains south of South Fork. 8.0 mi away. One such hidden gem is (yet another) Crater Lake, tucked away in the South San Juan Wilderness - an area labeled by many as "Colorado's wildest corner". — at South San Juan Wilderness. The hike to Crater Lake does not require a big expenditure of energy for its scenic rewards. Another trail will veer left, remain left of the creek and continue along the lake's eastern (left) edge into a network of social and game trails (many, many fresh bear tracks and scat were spotted in this area). San Juan National Forest, CO Blue hour at Crater Lake in the South San Juan Wilderness near South Fork. The trailhead for Crater Lake is a fair distance off any major highway - roughly 18 miles off of US Highway 160 - in close proximity to relatively unknown Elwood Pass (Forest Road 380). Wilderness Areas: San Juan National Forest encompasses 4 Wilderness areas which make the perfect backpacking experience. On September 23, 1979 a sow grizzly was killed near Blue Lake by a bow hunter. This is a neighboring wilderness to the larger and more popular Weminuche Wilderness, has 45 miles of the CDT going across it and is known as Colorado's wildest corner. It is a remote lake, in a remote wilderness area, in a remote part of Colorado. (or send him an e-mail here). overlooking an open meadow, offering guests a unique lodging One of my favorite places in the world: Crater Lake. Despite its remote location, the roads into the trailhead in both directions are generally well maintained and (by Colorado standards) were easy for us to navigate during snow-free months. The Outbound works best with JavaScript enabled. Looking down on Crater lake from Montezuma peak. The South San Juan Wilderness encompasses the southeastern extent of the San Juan Mountain Range, including a segment of the Continental Divide. Find rock climbing routes, photos, and guides for every state, along with experiences and advice from fellow climbers. 180.0 mi . Crater Lake to the Saddle. Located in the San Luis Valley of south central Colorado, this beautiful piece of BLM land is a place loved by locals and most Colorado climbers. As a general rule, at this junction, anything continuing along the Continental Divide will veer left, so as long as you veer right and funnel downhill towards the Crater Creek drainage, you will remain on the correct trail. San Juan National Forest: Crater lake trail - See 565 traveler reviews, 190 candid photos, and great deals for Durango, CO, at Tripadvisor. The Outbound Collective Camping: Camping is permitted in the Weminuche Wilderness but there are restrictions to camping close to Crater Lake. https://hikingswcolorado.blogspot.com/2013/08/hiking-crater-lake-trail.html 8.0 mi away. This weekend I wanted to finally get out on our first backpacking trip into the mountains for the season. Lobo Overlook. Recreation. Colorado's South San Juan wilderness. Crater Lake - a destination where you just might see more bear tracks than humans - even over the course of a summer holiday weekend in Colorado. Access to the wilderness is mainly from the north via Hwy 160 or from the east through the town of Antonito. Originally designated as wilderness by Congress in 1980, it is a component of the National Wilderness Preservation System and now maintains 158,790 acres. Off trail, the view from the saddle will face north toward the Elwood Creek drainage. elevation of 10,000 feet in the Rio G... Overview Several trees are well suited for hammock setups, if a tent isn't your thing. Map. We're committed to building a better, more inclusive home for the modern outdoors. Learn more about this beautiful location in my ebook, Capturing Colorado Hiking & Photographing Lakes of the San Juan Mountains. If fishing for dinner is your game, you should have plenty of opportunities.The biggest piece of advice that I can offer if you're camping at Crater Lake is to be highly bear aware. The trailhead does serve as an access point for the Continental Divide trail, so while we saw many hikers in the first mile of the hike, virtually none of them made their way down to Crater Lake itself. After meandering across the tundra above the pass it descends steeply, for a total of 2.1 miles to Crater Lake. Distance: 11.0 miles (round trip) to Crater Lake11.8 miles (round trip) to Saddle above Crater Lake; Elevation: 10,770-ft. at Trailhead11,640-ft. at Crater Lake11,770-ft. at Saddle above Crater Lake The lake lives up to its name - it supports a healthy cutthroat trout population thanks to its depth, adequate drainage area, and remoteness. It is a remote lake, in a remote wilderness area, in a remote part of Colorado. Sun 6:55am - 4:51pm Official Route . [OC] [4000x3000] 7.6 mi away. You can camp further up the trail but you soon break treeline and with the frequent afternoon storms it … Continue for another 10 minutes on a moderate grade through open tundra meadows up to about 12,040' - the trails may become faint at spots or covered in snow drifts in this area, so, if you're challenged with alpine navigation, be sure to keep a map, GPS or some other resource available. As you approach the lake, one trail will veer right to dip down to Crater Creek and cross the creek to access the lake's northern shoreline (an area with campsites). Any easy side trip takes hikers to a panoramic saddle above the lake. Best lake trails in South San Juan Wilderness, Colorado 127 Reviews Explore the most popular lake trails in South San Juan Wilderness with hand-curated trail maps and driving directions as well as detailed reviews and photos from hikers, campers and nature lovers like you. Crater Lake Hiking Trail near Silverton and Durango, Colorado. 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