Lake City, Colorado

Top Spots in and near Lake City

  • Lake City, Colorado

    Capture Fall Foliage and Whitmore Falls on Engineer Pass

    5.0
    Just outside of the small community of Lake City, Colorado is Engineer Pass, a dirt road that has amazing views and opportunities to hike, take pictures, and maybe even explore an abandoned mining town. Four wheel drive or all wheel drive is preferable, but the road can definitely be driven by a ...
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  • Lake City, Colorado

    Explore Nellie Creek Falls

    5.0
    0.8 mi / 300 ft gain
    Nellie Creek Falls is a beautiful little falls, up County Road 23. The waterfall is surrounded by a forest of aspens leading up the valley. To get to the falls take the northern route of the Alpine Loop from Lake City towards Engineer Pass. In about 5 miles you come to Nellie Creek Road on the ri...
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  • Lake City, Colorado

    Uncompahgre Peak (14,309')

    5.0
    7.3 mi / 2881 ft gain
    At 14,309 feet, the summit of Uncompahgre Peak is the highest point in the entire San Juan range, but getting to it requires only good hiking skills, good physical shape, and a four-wheel-drive, high-clearance vehicle to get to the trailhead. From Lake City, head west along the Alpine Loop about...
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  • Lake City, Colorado

    Cinnamon Pass OHV Trail

    5.0
    28.73 mi / 7431 ft gain
    Cinnamon Pass OHV Trail is a loop trail that takes you by a river located near Lake City, Colorado.
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  • Lake City, Colorado

    Hike Redcloud and Sunshine Peaks

    5.0
    12 mi / 4800 ft gain
    The easier drive to the Silver Creek / Grizzly Gulch trailhead is reached by traveling south from Lake City and turning right onto County Road 30. Although parts can be rough and the shelf road around the base of Sunshine Peak may cause a tighter grip on the steering wheel, in dry conditions a hi...
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  • Lake City, Colorado

    Drive Cinnamon Pass

    5.0
    Along Colorado’s Alpine Loop, Cinnamon Pass sits 12,640’ above the San Juan Mountains. A high clearance vehicle preferably with 4WD is needed to reach the pass, but the breathtaking views along the challenging journey make it worth the ride.  During the gold rush in Colorado, Cinnamon pass was us...
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  • Lake City, Colorado

    Backpack to Wetterhorn Basin

    13 mi / 3000 ft gain
    This trip is for the lover of solitude and the appreciator of the unscathed backcountry. Wetterhorn Basin is in the heart of the beautiful San Juan Mountain range in Southwestern Colorado.With a 4WD high clearance vehicle start at the West Cimarron Trailhead at 10,750 feet (38.1117N -107.5533W),...
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  • Ouray, Colorado

    Drive Engineer Pass

    5.0
    This pass is closed December through May but when opened, does not fall short of views. I drove it on opening weekend and the snow was piled high all around (pictured above) but the views were just as amazing as driving it in late summer.  Starting in Silverton, drive east on Colorado 2 through t...
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  • Creede, Colorado

    Photograph North Clear Creek Falls

    4.0
    This 100 ft. waterfall is close to Colorado 149 on the Silver Thread Scenic Byway. To access the falls turn onto FR 510 from the northern entrance and head south for .5 miles. Turn left into the North Clear Creek Falls Observation Site, from there it's a short walk to the falls.Being out in the...
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  • Silverton, Colorado

    Explore Animas Forks

    5.0
    0.25 mi / 40 ft gain
    The ghost town of Animas Forks, CO is located in the San Juan Mountains at an elevation of 11,200 feet. There are several original buildings remaining. The best way to explore the region is by Jeep or other high-clearance 4×4. The cabins began being built by prospectors in 1873. Three rivers meet...
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  • Silverton, Colorado

    Explore Placer Gulch and Sound Democrat Mill

    0.25 mi / 50 ft gain
    Placer Gulches 4WD trail is a gorgeous route offering scenic vistas of the San Juan Mountains and traverses an area rich with mining history. This area provides gorgeous wild flowers in the peak season of late July/ early August. Some of the best preserved mine structures in Colorado can be found...
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  • Silverton, Colorado

    Drive to California Pass

    California Pass’s summit is a jaw dropping 12,960 feet above sea level. A long way from the valley floor, California Gulch, but, as drivers start their trek, the valley floor starts to shrink and gives way to steep climbs and switchbacks. Off road vehicles are needed to reach the top, and drivers...
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  • Ouray, Colorado

    Mineral Creek OHV Trail

    14.04 mi / 3307 ft gain
    Mineral Creek OHV Trail is an out-and-back trail that takes you by a waterfall located near Ouray, Colorado.
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  • Silverton, Colorado

    Explore Hurricane Pass and Lake Como

    Spending much of the trek above tree line, Hurricane Pass is situated at 12,730 feet above sea level and offers up views of Poughkeepsie Gulch (a more extreme off-road trail) and sapphire blue mountain lakes, such as Lake Como. One of the most beautiful roads in the lower 48 states, Hurricane Pas...
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  • Ouray, Colorado

    Lower Cascade Falls

    3.0
    0.5 mi
    Located within the picturesque town of Ouray, Colorado, Cascade Falls is what most city parks strive to be. This park and amazing waterfall are located on the edge of town along the longer 5+ mile Perimeter Trail and provides a place for picnics, relaxing, and further days hikes through connector...
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  • Ouray, Colorado

    Backpack to Dragon's Back via Horsethief Trail

    5.0
    16 mi / 3520 ft gain
    The Uncompahgre Wilderness stretches out through the mountains and forests of southwestern Colorado, with worn trails lingering beside abandoned 19th-century mines and crossing old alpine sheep pastures. Dragon's Back is the unofficial name for Point 12,968', a small but beautiful summit at the b...
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Camping and Lodging in Lake City

Alpine Ranger Station
County Road 868

Alpine Ranger Station

The Gate Campground
Powderhorn, Colorado

The Gate Campground

Jackson Guard Station
Gunnison, Colorado

Jackson Guard Station

Red Bridge Campground
Powderhorn, Colorado

Red Bridge Campground

River Hill
Creede, Colorado

River Hill

Ouray KOA Holiday
Ridgway, Colorado

Ouray KOA Holiday

Guides, Insights and Stories from Lake City

Ouray, Colorado: A Tiny Town With a Giant History of Ice Climbing

Ouray, Colorado: A Tiny Town With a Giant History of Ice Climbing

Connor Charles

The Quietest Ski Town: Silverton, Colorado

The Quietest Ski Town: Silverton, Colorado

Holly Mandarich

My Final Backpacking Trip of the Year: Blue Lakes, Colorado

My Final Backpacking Trip of the Year: Blue Lakes, Colorado

Sonja Saxe

​72 Hours in Telluride: Summer & Fall Edition

​72 Hours in Telluride: Summer & Fall Edition

Josiah Roe