Starting elevation is about 9500 feet. To get to the Upper Chicago Lake, head back to the Chicago Lakes Trail and continue another mile. An unofficial-looking sign correctly points up this road on a steady climb to Idaho Springs Reservoir (1.65 miles : 10,617'). A good workout- going up both ways! Both lakes offer excellent views of surrounding peaks. Narrow trail. One of my favorites. Recommend snow shoes as the trail is narrow and the snow is deep in some areas. LockA locked padlock Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 1 min to complete. The trail circles Echo Lake and connects to several other trails: Chicago Lakes, Bear Track Lakes trails, which give you access to Mount Evans Wilderness Area which is full of other great hiking trails,and Mt. Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests & Pawnee National Grassland, 2150 Centre Avenue, Building E Spikes needed, snowshoes would make it worse. Permit holders are to close and lock the gate after entry and exit. Thought I was going to die but the view is so worth it. Bikes, mechanized vehicles and hunting are. West Chicago Creek offers good fishing for rainbow, brown and brook trout. Got there at 9 on a Saturday morning and wasnt very crowded with plenty of parking. It was beautiful! It can be accessed on foot the Chicago Lakes Trail. No fires except in designated fire pits on City property. You may want to start early, especially in the Summer months so that you have the time to explore and to avoid our famous, afternoon Colorado thunderstorms. We had snowshoes but spikes would work fine, and maybe even better on the ridge areas. What an GREAT hike and made our day to find the most amazing trail yet! Can you kayak at any of the 3 lakes that are on the way up to the Chicago lake trail? Leaving from Echo Lake, the trail goes downhill for the first mile. 12 mile to the junction of Hwy 103 and 5, the trail starts behind the Echo Lake Lodge. Follow the switchbacks down and across Chicago Creek. Official websites use .gov A .gov Once you get down the mountain theres about a mile long stretch to the reservoir where you get a fantastic view of the mountains! The views are absolutely breathtaking. NOTE: unsure if spikes will be necessary. Only a couple scrambles but it is a slower go than you might think. Upper Chicago Lake is above treeline, and can get very windy. After crossing the creek, follow the sign indicating that the trail follows the dirt road and hang a left; from here, you'll reach the Idaho Springs Reservoir is a little over 1.5 miles. The lakes were a popular destination even before the National Forest was established. 6. . If it did go to Summit Lake, it was poorly defined above the upper lake and hikers generally just made their own way.On 10/9/1978, the Reservoir Fire began from an abandoned campfire near the south end of the reservoir. To begin this adventure, we drove up to the Summit Lake parking lot at around 5am. By signing up for this hike you agree to relieve the event hosts of any liabilities for any harm that may occur to you during the hike as well as any transportation incidents that may occur traveling to and from the hike Meetup. The trail then climbs upward and passes through an old burn area from the Reservoir Fire of 1978. Had the most perfect hike! Beautiful hike! (We will accept a Drivers License, Utility Bill, Rental Agreement, or other official document that shows your name andphysical address). The Idaho Springs Reservoir is located approximately 11 miles south along Colorado Highway 103. Views are amazing! Explore this 4.3-mile out-and-back trail near Idaho Springs, Colorado. Chicago Lakes Trail is an 11.3-mile moderately trafficked out-and-back trail rated as hard. I especially enjoyed the solitude mid-week. Read more Idaho Springs, Colorado Echo Lake to Summit Lake 11.1 mi / 3419 ft gain West Chicago Creek Campground sits along its namesake creek at the base of Mount Evans and is located off Highway 103 on the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests in central Colorado. View a COTREX map here. Mountain views. The trail can be extremely muddy and boggy during the spring, with the last push up to the upper lake covered in ice and snow. Only saw 3 people Saturday afternoon. Summit Lake Park - Idaho Springs. Colorado Hikes. Trail is unmarked but lots of hard packed snow. From the parking lot, stay to the right of Echo Lake and you will run into the Chicago Lakes Trailhead. Campfires are permitted for dispersed backcountry camping, with potential seasonal and elevation restrictions. The Mt. ALLTRAILS and the AllTrails Mountain Design are registered trademarks of AllTrails, LLC in the United States as well as certain other jurisdictions. Dogs must be on a hand-held leash at all times in the Mt Evans Wilderness. South Dakota Hikes. LockA locked padlock Im from Ohio so this was another world for me. La casa ms cara en venta de Illinois. Would have been incredibly difficult without. Not a great trail for dogs especially with it being snowy and icy. Coming in at a rating of class 2, there tends to be some scrambling but nothing a well balanced person can't handle. Any other tips for this hike that you would give to our readers? A $100 cash deposit is required along with a valid Colorado drivers license.If the key is returned on time, the deposit will be refunded in full. Group size limited to 15 people and/or 10 pack/stock animals per party. . Experience this 4.3-mile out-and-back trail near Idaho Springs, Colorado. in between the towns of Evergreen and Idaho Springs. Its one of my new favorites for sure. We saw a moose! Please arrive a few minutes early to arrange rides. Tennessee Hikes. https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/colorado/chicago-lakes-trail, Apres hike after at: Abundant wildflowers stand out against the burned trees. The deposit will be refunded in full if the key is returned on time. Relatively close to Denver. There is tree cover just below Upper Chicago Lake with good views over Lower Chicago Lake. The trail to the second lake, above treeline, is difficult to follow at times and is very steep. Photos (933) Directions. Lots of parking, and restrooms at the start, which was a plus. Rocky but well maintained. Get a good, early start to avoid any potential bad weather. It climbs through a burn area, the result of a fire in the 1970s, then continues to climb to Lower Chicago lake. Note bristlecone and limber pine in this area, high altitude species adapted to extreme conditions. The trial to Lower and Upper Chicago Lake offers up amazing views of Mount Evans Wilderness. About 3 miles instead of the full 4. Two hundred feet past mile marker 9, on the right side of Highway 103, is the gated access road. Great hike! The trail is intermittently rocky and steep heading up the valley with a full view of Mt Spalding, and a partial look at Mt Evans. A $100 cash deposit is required. ", "Nice hike to great views of lower lake above falls in the cirque of the upper lake. Definitely micro-spikes needed and snowshoes towards the top. Lakes and streams; treat water for drinking. Fort Collins, CO 80526 (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); You can contact ProTrails directly through our Facebook account. Dispersed backcountry camping is permitted in the Arapaho National Forest and Mt Evans Wilderness Area. Then, some people opt to hike around the lake, which adds to the hike as well. Tell us when your experience with this trail happened. Box 3307 Idaho Springs, CO 80452 303.567.3000 Denver Mountain Parks 201 W. Colfax, Dept. Circle the lake, or continue over its outlet on the trail leading up to Summit Lake (12,830'), which provides panoramas over the basin, and back down the entire Chicago Creek drainage. Definitely bring Yaktraks or spikes for this one! Nebraska Hikes. It's still easily accessible in the winter and most of the time it can be hiked without snowshoes. Aaron Johnson has been hiking in Colorado for over 20 years. Be the first to share your experience. It crests a ridge in open tundra overlooking upper Chicago Lake, from which the shore is easily reached (4.9 miles : 11,733'). I was in awe the whole time. Evans. Visitor Information: 970-295-6600, https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/arp/recreation/hiking/recarea/?recid=28686&actid=50, Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forests Pawnee National Grassland. Generally considered a moderately challenging route, it takes an average of 2 h 1 min to complete. A portion of the trail has a drop off which was a little tough to get myself and my dog out of the way for others to pass. Watch for the private property signs once you hit the road to the reservoir. Pretty steep at parts, but manageable. 4 wheel drive recommended. Especially with the tree colors changing. Camping is prohibited within 100' of any lake or stream. It was a beautiful hike though and would definitely do it again. It is very easy to extend the hike beyond where the All Trails route endswell marked. Its definitely a long hike, we started at Echo lake both times. Check out this 17.6-mile point-to-point trail near Chicago, Illinois. Processed weed-free feedis required for stock. Trail: Generally well marked and easy to follow. Details Distance 6.53 miles Elevation Gain 1837 ft Route Type Loop Description This is a new adventure! Applications are available at City Hall or you may print the form below and bring it in with you. There is no registration fee. Generally considered an easy route, it takes an average of 5 h 16 min to complete. It has a couple scary rocks you have to cross. The trail will turn into Idaho Springs Reservoir Road, then will return to a normal trail. Please follow the route up the debris flow, avoiding trampling the sensitive tundra vegetation nearby. Idaho Springs Reservoir via Chicago Lakes Trail, https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/arp/home/?cid=fsm91_058362. . Youll pass three more mountain lakes as you punch up into the high country of Colorados Mt. Plus there were lots of aspens changing right before you got to the trailhead. * There are several social trails in the area, simply choose the one that heads southwest. Loved this hike. Afternoon arrivals - or those who simply don't wish to fight the willows - will find easier access further up the main trail, though a steep knoll must be scaled to reach them (.35 miles ahead). 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