Colorado · Hiking

Opal Lake

2.5 mi
round trip
627 ft
climb
9,231 ft
high point
Out and back
route
May–Jul, Sep
best months

Is Opal Lake open right now?

Closure in the area

There's a closure order in San Juan National Forest. It doesn't name Opal Lake, so check the source for the area it covers (3 listed).

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

Opal Lake is an easy out-and-back hike in the Pagosa Ranger District of Colorado's San Juan National Forest, managed by the Forest Service. The trail is about 2.5 miles long, with a one-way elevation gain of 627 feet, and it rises from a low point of 8,734 feet to a high of 9,231 feet at the lake. The trail is natural-surfaced and allows horses, so riders can take it as well as hikers. The trailhead is called Opal Lake Trailhead, and the route is open from June 1 to September 30. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Chama, New Mexico, show July highs around 80°F with lows near 46°F, while winter highs there stay in the upper 30s. That station sits about 1,400 feet lower than the lake, so temperatures at the lake run cooler. Nearby, Leche Creek and Fish Creek are both about 1.5 miles away, and Fish Lake is about 2.2 miles off. Blanco Basin Crags, a climbing area, is about 4.2 miles away.

Local outfitters

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