State: Colorado
Location: Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests
Length, One-Way: 1.1 miles
Trail Type: Out and Back
Best Season: June to October
Difficulty: Moderate
Usage: Moderate
Trail Information
The James Peak Lake Trailhead lies above the timberline, at 11,600 feet elevation. From the trailhead, the James Peak Lake Trail drops 500 feet over 0.5 miles to James Peak Lake, set in the basin below the east face of James Peak. The trail follows the remains of a wagon road across the scree, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t steep. At the bottom of the slope, near where it enters the trees, the Ute Trail forks to the right (north). To get to James Peak Lake, follow the trail, which stays on the wagon road, left (west) another 0.7 miles up the valley.
After snow begins to fall, it is common to see snowshoers and backcountry skiers along the James Peak Lake Trail.
Directions
From Nederland:
Approximately four miles south of Nederland, head west on gravel County Road 16 (a.k.a. Moffat Road and Rollins Pass Road) out of the town of Rollinsville. About five miles out, at the town of Tolland, take a left onto County Road 4N. Follow Road 4N 3.5 miles and take a right onto Forest Development Road (FDR) 353. This is a rough, native surface road we highly recommend only high clearance vehicles with four-wheel drive). Follow FDR 353 west for 3.3 miles to the James Peak Lake Trailhead.
