Colorado · Hiking

Middle Lake

7.3 mi
round trip
1,937 ft
climb
11,726 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Middle Lake open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Middle Lake is a hard hike in Colorado's White River National Forest, within the Eagle Ranger District. The trail is an out-and-back of about 7.3 miles, with a one-way elevation gain of 1,937 feet, taking you from a low point of about 9,600 feet to a high of about 11,700 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trailhead is called Middle Lake Trailhead. The route is natural-surface and allows horses, but not bikes. That makes it a viable option for riders on horseback, though the climb is steep enough to demand careful planning. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from the nearby Climax weather station, at a similar elevation, show July highs around 67°F with lows near 40°F, and snow is common from November through April. The station sits a few hundred feet lower than the trail's high point, so temperatures up top run a little cooler. The trailhead sits close to several other destinations. Snowslide Park is about 0.2 miles away, and New York Mountain is about 0.4 miles away. Lake Charles, a fishing spot, is about 4 miles off, and Yeoman Park Campground is about 4.3 miles away.

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Middle Lake

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. 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

      27° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    2. Feb

      29° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    3. Mar

      35° / 8°

      14 wet · 14 snow

    4. Apr

      40° / 15°

      13 wet · 13 snow

    5. May

      49° / 25°

      10 wet · 8 snow

    6. Jun

      61° / 34°

      8 wet · 2 snow

    7. Jul

      67° / 40°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      64° / 39°

      15 wet

    9. Sep

      58° / 32°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    10. Oct

      47° / 21°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    11. Nov

      35° / 11°

      12 wet · 12 snow

    12. Dec

      27° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Climax, CO, 25.6 mi away at 11,344 ft. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.