Colorado · Hiking · James Peak Wilderness · Near Idaho Springs

Forest Lakes

5.6 mi
round trip
1,488 ft
climb
11,052 ft
high point
Out and back
route
Jun, Sep
best months

Is Forest Lakes open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 3 alerts for Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests.

As of · Source: USFS · Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Forest Lakes is a moderate out-and-back hike in Colorado's James Peak Wilderness, within the Boulder Ranger District of the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests. The trail runs about 5.6 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 1,488 feet, from a low point of 9,542 feet to a high of 11,052 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trailhead is named Forest Lakes Trailhead. The route is natural-surface and allows horses, but not bikes. The most comfortable stretch for a visit is late summer into early fall. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Boulder 14 W show July highs around 68°F and September highs near 59°F, with temperatures on this trail running cooler than those figures because the station sits about 1,200 feet lower. The trail is open from June 1 through October 31. Crater Lakes lies about half a mile away, and South Boulder Creek, a mountain biking area, is about 0.7 miles off. Climbers can head to Noah's Ark, about 2.2 miles away, and Midland Group Campground is about 5.2 miles away.

Around this trail

Add any of these when you start a trip
  • Sleep close

    East Portal Distributed Camping Area

    Campground

    Campground · 1.6 mi from the trail
  • If it rainsUser:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons

    Hamill House Museum

    Museum

    Museum · 13 mi from Idaho Springs

    Historic house-museum in Georgetown, Colorado, United States

Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: User:Magicpiano, CC BY-SA 4.0 (commons)

More in Idaho Springs

Local outfitters

Not on Roamze yet. Their page has how to reach them.

  • Best time to go · Jun, Sep

    Best time to visit Forest Lakes

    Best months: June and September. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      29° / 12°

      15 wet

    2. Feb

      28° / 11°

      16 wet

    3. Mar

      36° / 17°

      16 wet

    4. Apr

      40° / 22°

      17 wet

    5. May

      50° / 29°

      16 wet

    6. Jun

      62° / 36°

      12 wet

    7. Jul

      68° / 43°

      14 wet

    8. Aug

      66° / 41°

      13 wet

    9. Sep

      59° / 34°

      10 wet

    10. Oct

      47° / 26°

      10 wet

    11. Nov

      35° / 19°

      12 wet

    12. Dec

      28° / 12°

      15 wet

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Boulder 14 W, CO, 11.7 mi away at 9,828 ft. The station sits about 1,200 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. This station doesn't record snowfall. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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