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Lake City, Colorado

Looking for the best hiking in Lake City? We've got you covered with the top trails, trips, hiking, backpacking, camping and more around Lake City. The detailed guides, photos, and reviews are all submitted by the Outbound community.

Top Hiking 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

    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

    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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  • 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

    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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  • Ridgway, Colorado

    Box Canyon Falls

    5.0
    0.57 mi / 243 ft gain
    Box Canyon Falls is located on the outskirts of Ouray, Colorado less than five minutes from downtown. The nearly 300 foot waterfall crashes through the canyon down to the town's hot springs. The park also features a bridge overlooking the waterfall, river, and the town of Ouray. To get to Box Ca...
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  • Ridgway, Colorado

    Running to Grizzly Bear Mine

    Bear Creek Trail, which leads to Grizzly Mine, is located just 2 miles outside of Ouray, Colorado on Highway 550 immediately following the first tunnel. There's two parking lots, a large one and a small one, the trail leads from the small parking lot over the tunnel and highway. There are no bath...
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  • Telluride, Colorado

    Drive Black Bear Pass & the Ingram Basin

    5.0
    12 mi / 3000 ft gain
    Black Bear Pass (el. 12,840’), officially known as Forest Service Road 648, is an infamous 4WD road that runs between U.S. Highway 550 (between Silverton & Ouray) and Telluride, CO. From the pass downhill through the Ingram Basin to Telluride, the road is one-way and features switchbacks and ...
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  • Ridgway, Colorado

    Explore Twin Falls in Yankee Boy Basin

    While small, Twin Falls sits in the extremely photogenic backdrop of Yankee Boy Basin. To reach the falls 7.5 miles outside of Ouray follow Camp Bird road for 4.7 miles before taking a right onto Yankee Boy Basin Road. After 2.8 miles you'll reach one of several small parking areas on the left ...
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  • Silverton, Colorado

    Fly Fish the Animas River

    4.0
    While the Animas River runs for miles in the San Juan National Forest, a beautiful (and accessible) stretch runs right through Silverton, CO. Here, you can fish, hike, or chill. The river is fast with very few pockets for the trout to hide; however, if you search around enough, you'll find a fish...
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  • Ophir, Colorado

    Ophir Pass Road

    5.0
    9.93 mi / 1696 ft gain
    Ophir Pass Road is a point-to-point trail where you may see beautiful wildflowers located near Ophir, Colorado.
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