I’m kicking myself for waiting to do this hike for so long. Because it’s now one of my favorites. It’s simply a gorgeous hike that starts off at a high elevation which lets you take advantage of the high country without having to hike thousands of feet of elevation gain just to get there.
But this is a hike that needs to be respected. It’s an out and back trail which drops down to the lake. Which means when it’s time to hike back to the trailhead, you got some climbing to do.
To get to the Trailhead, be careful with Google Maps. Which may try to take you over Elwood Pass. Instead, head over Wolf Creek Pass and take a right onto Park Creek Road or as Google initially calls it, Demijohn Rd. Eventually it turns into Forest Service Road 380. At almost 14 miles in, you’ll hit a Y in the road. Stay right on 380, otherwise you’ll end up at Summitville. From here, the trailhead is another 4 miles down the road. Overall, it’s about a 1 and a half to 2 hour drive to get to this one.
The trailhead starts off at 11,620 feet. You climb a little over 500 feet in the first mile where you join up with the Continental Divide Trail above treeline. From here you get views of Summit Peak, the highest peak in the South San Juans. And also, Montezuma Peak and Long Trek Mountain, both of which surround Crater Lake.
You’ll soon pass over the high point on the trail at around 12,161 feet. And it’s about here where you get some of the most incredible views on the entire trail hiking along high alpine meadows.
At 1.5 miles in, you cross over into the South San Juan Wilderness and begin your descent into the Crater Creek watershed. And it’s a big drop of over 1,250 feet. And this is what you’ll climb on your way out.
You enter back into the trees with views of the East Fork Valley off in the distance along with numerous patches of wildflowers if you’re hiking in July. At about 3.6 miles in, the trail splits. Both go to the lake. The right fork is more established. I took the left fork which has a short but steep drop down to the lake.
And once you arrive, the views are absolutely magnificent. This truly is a gorgeous lake.
Now with any mountain lake, you gotta jump in.
But what makes this one special is I think the fly fishing for native cutthroat trout. I brought my tenkara rod, which I like to take on these hiking trips because it’s so light. And I was able to grab four cutthroats near the inlet in a short amount of time. Such a beautiful fish!
Overall, this hike is almost 8 miles out and back with about 2000 feet of elevation gain. So it’s definitely not a beginner hike. As always, make sure you check on the chances of thunderstorms before you start since you spend a large chunk of your time above treeline.
Alright, thanks for watching. If you enjoyed this guide, be sure to check out the rest of our channel for more hikes and other fun things to do here in Pagosa Springs, Colorado. Cheers!
