About this place

The first two miles of the trail follows an old wagon trail crossing footbridges over Joe Wright Creek and Fall Creek before entering the Rawah Wilderness. The trail continues to climb toward Blue Lake and Hang Lake. Blue Lake, which is five miles from the trailhead, is a very popular destination or turn-around point. Both lakes are surrounded and protected by a ¿¿-mile camping closure zone. A short 2.4 mile climb to the north past Blue Lake and a descent to a junction with West Branch Trail (#960) allow easy access to Island and Carey Lakes, the Rawah Trail (#961), Twin Crater Lakes, and Grassy Pass. Backpackers often arrange shuttles, entering by the Blue Lake Trail and leaving via the West Branch or Rawah trails. The Blue Lake trailhead accommodates approximately 14 vehicles. PLEASE NOTE: This trail was heavily burned during the 2020 Cameron Peak Fire. Now the trail passes through both heavily impacted areas of burned trees and areas that showcase the common mosaic of burned and unburned forest found after a fire. From Fort Collins, CO travel 11 miles northwest on U.S. Highway 287 to Colorado Highway 14. Turn left on CO 14, and travel 54 miles west to the Blue Lake trailhead parking lot on the right, located across the highway from Forest Road 156, Long Draw Road.