Soda Lakes Trail
Photo: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- 0.9 mi
- round trip
- 315 ft
- climb
- 9,741 ft
- high point
- Out and back
- route
- Jun–Sep
- best months
Is Soda Lakes Trail 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.
Soda Lakes Trail is an easy 0.93-mile out-and-back hike in Colorado's Eagles Nest Wilderness, on the Holy Cross Ranger District of White River National Forest. The Forest Service manages the land, and the trail rises 315 feet from its low point of 9,379 feet to a high of 9,741 feet. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station in Vail show July highs around 77°F with lows near 42°F. That station sits roughly 1,400 feet lower than the trail, so temperatures on the trail run cooler. Several other outings are close by. Upper Piney is 0.3 miles away and Mount Powell is 0.6 miles away. Piney Designated Dispersed Site offers camping about 1.5 miles off, and the Piney River, a canoeing spot, is about 5.6 miles away.
Go with a guide
- Mineral Belt Trail Guided WalkRoamze · $25 per person · 33 mi away
- Rancho Del Rio16 mi away
Upper PineyHikingPhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)0.3 mi
Mount PowellHikingPhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)0.6 mi- Piney Designated Dispersed SiteCamping1.5 mi
- Piney RiverCanoeing5.6 mi
- Gore Mountain RangeRock climbing5.9 mi
- Easter Egg BoulderRock climbing6.3 mi
- Upper Cataract Lake #63Lake fishing7.1 mi
- Cataract Creek CampgroundCamping9 mi
Source: Roamze catalog (indexable pages within 10 miles, PostGIS distance)
- Upper PineyHiking · Next doorPhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Lost LakeHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
West Partner PeakHiking · ~11 min drivePhoto: toastal_OLD, CC BY 2.0 (via Flickr)- Middle Creek CanyonHiking · ~4 min drive
- Lost Lake to PineyHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Upper Piney Lake TrailHiking · ~3 min drivePhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)- Mount PowellHiking · ~1 min drivePhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
- Middle Creek SpurHiking · ~5 min drive
- Middle CreekHiking · ~4 min drive
East Meadow CreekHiking · ~2 min drivePhoto: jl_2, CC BY-SA 2.0 (via Flickr)
Also worth it near here
Best time to visit Soda Lakes Trail
Best months: June–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.
Jan
29° / 7°
12 wet
Feb
33° / 9°
11 wet
Mar
42° / 17°
10 wet
Apr
49° / 24°
9 wet
May
60° / 31°
9 wet
Jun
71° / 36°
8 wet
Jul
77° / 42°
10 wet
Aug
74° / 41°
11 wet
Sep
67° / 34°
9 wet
Oct
54° / 25°
7 wet
Nov
38° / 15°
9 wet
Dec
28° / 7°
11 wet
Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Vail, CO, 6.4 mi away at 8,304 ft. The station sits about 1,400 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.
