May Queen
Campground
Campground · 5.8 mi from the trail
Colorado · Hiking · Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness · Near Leadville
Fryingpan Lakes
- 8.2 mi
- round trip
- 2,230 ft
- climb
- 11,031 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Aug
- best months
Is Fryingpan Lakes open right now?
Alert in the area
The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.
FSR 286, Radical Hill, is closed due to washouts and unsafe conditions
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Limited parking at Snowmass Creek Trailhead
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Grizzly Creek Trail Closure
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · Order 2026-02 · USFS · White River National Forest
Ruedi Marina Day Use area Dump Station is CLOSED
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
Asbestos safety closure - Camp Hale
Agency alert covering White River National Forest · USFS · White River National Forest
As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.
Fryingpan Lakes is a moderate out-and-back hike in Colorado's Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness, on the Sopris Ranger District of the White River National Forest. The trail is about 8 miles long, with a total elevation gain of about 2,200 feet, taking hikers from a low point near 9,974 feet to a high of about 11,000 feet. The trailhead parking is named Fryingpan Lakes, and the route is open year round. The trail is a natural surface and is open to horses. Bikes are not allowed. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station show July highs around 73°F and lows near 39°F. That station sits roughly 1,300 feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures up high run cooler. Nearby options include the Lily Pad Lake hike about 1.3 miles away and the Colorado Midland Centennial about 2.8 miles away. Climbers can head to Hell's Gate/Hagerman Pass, about 3.4 miles off, and paddlers can reach the Fryingpan River, about 4.6 miles away.
Around this trail
Add any of these when you start a tripSleep close Eat after La Mina Tacos Y Mariscos
Restaurant
On your way back · 12 mi
If it rainsLongled, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia CommonsHistoric frontier synagogue building
Places © OpenStreetMap contributors · Photos: Longled, CC BY-SA 3.0 (commons)
More in LeadvilleGo with a guide
- Mineral Belt Trail Guided WalkNexPM AI · $25 per person · 12 mi away
- Maroon Bells Guide and Outfitters20 mi away
- Lily Pad LakeHiking1.3 mi
- Colorado Midland CentennialHiking2.8 mi
- Hell's Gate/ Hagerman PassRock climbing3.4 mi
A Massive Pain in the ASSRock climbingPhoto: kalestews, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)4.4 mi
Fryingpan RiverCanoeingPhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)4.6 mi
May QueenCampingPhoto: Recreation.gov (RIDB) / public domain5.8 mi- Lake ForkCanoeing6.5 mi
- Chapman Group CampgroundCamping7.8 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
GLACIER CREEK/SKINNER HUTHiking · ~8 min drivePhoto: Altitude10k, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Mount Massive Southwest SlopesHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: Gaep13 at en.wikipedia), Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Linkins LakeHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: markbyzewski, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Mount ElbertHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: markbyzewski, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Busk Creek TrailHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: Altitude10k, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Rock CreekHiking · ~12 min drivePhoto: markbyzewski, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
Chapman InterpretiveHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: waterarchives, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Deer MountainHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: Toshihiro Matsui, CC BY-SA 3.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- BUSK CREEKHiking · ~9 min drivePhoto: Altitude10k, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Mount Massive East SlopesHiking · ~14 min drivePhoto: Gaep13 at en.wikipedia), Public domain (via Wikimedia Commons)
Also worth it near here
- Lily Pad LakeLake fishing · ~2 min drive
- Betty Bear HutHut camping · ~2 min drive
Mount OklahomaSummit · ~7 min drivePhoto: Jeremiah LaRocco, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)- A Massive Pain in the ASSRock climbing · ~8 min drivePhoto: kalestews, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Fryingpan RiverCanoeing · ~8 min drivePhoto: Jeffrey Beall, CC BY 4.0 (via Wikimedia Commons)
Best time to visit Fryingpan Lakes
Best months: June–August. 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.
Jan
31° / 3°
8 wet
Feb
33° / 3°
8 wet
Mar
39° / 9°
8 wet
Apr
44° / 18°
8 wet
May
55° / 27°
9 wet
Jun
68° / 34°
9 wet
Jul
73° / 39°
12 wet
Aug
70° / 38°
12 wet
Sep
62° / 31°
8 wet
Oct
51° / 23°
6 wet
Nov
39° / 14°
7 wet
Dec
31° / 6°
7 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Sugarloaf Rsvr, CO, 8.2 mi away at 9,738 ft. The station sits about 1,300 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.
