Abyss Trail to Helms Lake

Grant, Colorado

Save Add Photo

Add Photo

Save Review Directions Add Photo

Details

Distance

12.72 miles

Elevation Gain

2388 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

This is a new adventure! Be the first to share your experience.

Join a supporting community of travelers and adventurers sharing their photos and local insights.

Added by Outbound

The Abyss Trail to Helms Lake in Colorado is a popular, challenging hike that offers beautiful alpine scenery and well-maintained paths. Many people praise the trail’s gradual ascent through forests and alongside streams, which eventually leads to stunning views of Helms Lake and surrounding peaks. The trail’s varied terrain, including switchbacks and creek crossings, adds to the adventure.

Hikers recommend starting early and bringing plenty of water due to the trail’s length. While it’s long and moderately difficult, the peaceful atmosphere and mountain views make the effort worthwhile.

The trail is also popular for its diverse wildlife and beautiful wildflowers in summer. Visitors appreciate its natural beauty but suggest proper preparation for the elevation and distance, especially as it gets more challenging near the lake.

Download Outbound mobile app

Find adventures and camping on the go, share photos, use GPX tracks, and download maps for offline use.

Get the app

Download GPX File

Features

Hiking

Forest

Lake

River

Scenic

Wildlife

Abyss Trail to Helms Lake Reviews

Have you done this adventure? Be the first to leave a review!

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Watch the Sunrise at Guanella Pass

From Denver, take i70 to Georgetown and simply follow the signs through town to the top. This pass can also be accessed from the south via US Highway 285 at the town of Grant. Guanella Pass is closed in the winter, typically from about the last week in November through the last week of May. Watching the sunrise in winter is still possible from Guanella pass, but will require a ¾ mile hike from ...

Bierstadt, Evans, and The Sawtooth Loop

Starting from the oddly poorly marked Guanella Pass Trailhead (Google maps directions to Guanella Campground and then drive about two miles past it to the south), the trail heads southeast toward Bierstadt, and much of your route to the first summit is visible from the parking lot. The trail to Bierstadt starts out at just over 11,000 feet and stays nearly flat for the first mile, allowing you...

Hike to Square Top Lakes

Starting from Guanella Pass, right across from the Bierstadt trailhead, Square Top Lakes is definitely a hidden gem. Most people here are attempting to do the 14er, but if you've already bagged that one (or are just looking for some high altitude hiking to get you ready for it), Square Top Lakes is perfect. The hike begins by immediately descending a few hundred feet into a small valley. From t...

Watch the Sunset from Mt Evans Road

Leave Evergreen, CO and access the Mount Evans Road and Mount Evans Recreation Area from Squaw Pass, CO 103 at Echo Lake.Drive along the slopes of Mount Evans, a Colorado 14er standing at 14,264 ft. 5 switchbacks down from the summit, on a tight hairpin turn, is a small parking area near 13,900ft. From here, hike ¼ mile down to the open area above a band of cliffs and towards an unnamed point....

Camp at Guanella Pass

This is a beautiful campground that serves as a great basecamp for many different outdoor activities in the Front Range. Whether you are looking for a casual day fishing or trying to knock one of the nearby 14ers off of your bucket list, this is an excellent place to begin. There are also abandoned “ghost towns” and the historic Georgetown nearby for those interested in local history.There are ...

Mount Evans and Mount Spalding Loop

Mount Evans is a simple, yet drop dead gorgeous 14er. That being said, no 14er is easy by any means. However as far as 14er's go, this is a cake walk. Coming in at a rating of class 2, there tends to be some scrambling but nothing a well balanced person can't handle. To begin this adventure, we drove up to the Summit Lake parking lot at around 5am. There is a $5 fee for parking but that can be...