Crater Lakes, Rollinsville, Colorado

James Peak Wilderness, Roosevelt National Forest

June 02, 2012





The trails to the Crater Lakes:

This part is for hikers only. For casual readers, please skip to the first picture below.
This was obtained from the Internet (Protrails.com) and has been partially modified
by me after the trip.

The East Portal Trailhead is located at the end of Rollins Pass Road, an 8.2-mile dirt road west of Highway 72. Rollins Pass Road is located 4.9 miles south of Nederland, Colorado. From Highway 72, turn west on Rollins Pass Road and Keep Straight until it dead-ends at the Moffat Tunnel. Ignore turnoffs that climb toward the pass.

Crater Lakes - a cluster of 5 lakes spread about a rugged, isolated valley - offer excellent fishing and back country camping apart from the crowds. The East Portal Trailhead's well-maintained thoroughfare gives way to an ill-defined path to lower Crater Lakes, a scenic pair separated only by a thin, elevated ridge. A strenuous route continues west up to a steep wall to the talus-bound cirque of upper Crater Lakes.

It is 6 miles round-trip to the lower Crater Lakes. From there, the upper Crater Lakes takes another 2.2 miles roundtrip. So, total for the trip to the upper Crater Lakes is 8.2 miles and adds about 400 feet elevation reaching about 11,000 feet.
Note for the upper lake travelers: Just like there's no maintained trails to the final part of the lower lakes, no maintained trail leads to upper Crater Lakes; however, you can follow the northern-lower lake's inlet to them. The route is very steep and may be impassible when wet or iced over. Scale the steep wall on the west end of the lower northern lake. The climb levels off at the foot of a large talus field, from which you'll see the upper lakes, and a direct (albeit difficult) line straight to them.
While the views at the lower Crater Lakes are not outstanding, one gets better open vista at the upper Crater Lakes.

Starting elevation at the trail head is 9,211' and the lower Crater Lakes are at 10,600' (10,632' max elevation). The trail rises past the tunnel through intervals of aspen, spruce, and meadow to the Arapaho Lakes - Forest Lakes Trail split (1.25 miles : 9,555'), and steepens up rugged terrain to the Crater Lakes Trail split (1.85 miles : 9,930').

The Crater Lakes Trail bends north and twists steeply up a cluttered spruce-fir forest. Hanging moss, kinnikinnick, and deadfall veil this sparingly defined segment. In 2.3 miles (10,095') the trail banks sharply right, then left on switchbacks marked by rather anonymous cairns; it continues through a narrow slot between two large boulders and exits left to regain the trail.
At this point, hikers pass the first lowest Crater Lake at their far right below which is seldom visited. The lake is barely visible from the trail, and it's a long way down to get there. This lake receives both outflows of the lower Crater Lakes.

Rugged terrain resumes to a footbridge (2.45 miles: 10,240'), past which travel moderates in stages (2.6 miles and again at 2.8 miles) on a final push to the first set of lakes. The grade levels and forest thins at a trail sign and sudden opening along the south lake's outlet stream (2.85 miles: 10,543'). The trail leads north over the outlet to a thin, elevated band of spruce separating the two main lower lakes (2.9 miles 10,630').

On this strip, you'll come to a vague spur for south Crater Lake in 2.95 miles, and another for north Crater Lake just a few steps west. Each drops through tightly spaced spruce to the respective lakes - 3.0 miles: 10,575' (south) and 3.05 miles: 10,600' (north).

The south lake is narrow and bound tightly by steep walls and timber; in contrast, the north lake is large and somewhat more accessible. A social trail from its east shore outlet leads to good views of the vicinity and suitable lakeside back country campsites. Also, there are a few more suitable campsites just northwest shore of the south lower lake and it's vicinity.

Contact Information: Boulder Ranger District, 2140 Yarmouth Avenue, Boulder, CO 80301
303.541.2500



There are a lot of Crater Lakes in U.S. as well as a few in Colorado. The nearest one is in Indian Peaks Wilderness Area near Nederland, and then, Maroon Bells-Snow Mass Wilderness in Aspen; and San Juan National Forest, Silverton, Colorado. The most famous one in U.S. is the Crater Lake in the Crater Lake National Park in Oregon that I am hoping to go someday soon.
Please remember, this one is the less-known Crater Lakes in Rollinsvile, CO.

At the trail head: 10 miles west of Rollinsville, at the East Portal parking lot where the hiking trail starts. At right is the east entrance of the Moffat Tunnel (hence the name of East Portal. The West Portal is Winter Park on the other side of the Front Range. The snow-covered mountains in the background is the southern part of the Indian Peaks Range.
One of them is James Peak (13, 294 feet, 4,051 meter).
Black clouds rising in the western sky were very worrisome to me. At 10:40 AM, we might have started a bit too late for the day. Anyway, with the highest altitude being at 10,600 feet, we would be under the tree line. So, we went.

There were 6 people in our group: Yunjae and Eunsook Lee, Myoungho and Soonyoung Kim, and our couple.



The east entrance of the Moffat Tunnel (hence the name of "East Portal"). The West Portal is Winter Park Resort ski area on the other side of the Front Range. In winter, ski train used to run from Denver to Winter Park for skiers. They might have stopped the service a couple of years ago. I am not sure.
This tunnel connects Denver to Salt Lake City and then to the west coast, one of many railroad's links passing through the Continental Divide of the Rocky Mountains.



From the parking lot, we were off into the James Peak Wilderness to reach the Crater Lake, one of the numerous glacial lakes on the eastern slope of the Indian Peaks Area, a part of the Front Range.



A lot of common dandelions are in bloom at the sides of the trail. The first wild flower for us to see. Though the poor flowers are considered as weeds in the rest of America, they are still wildflowers in Colorado.
As we were a bit too early for the season for this higher altitude, we were afraid that we might not see many wildflowers today.



Going up the valley on the Dandelion-lined East Portal hiking trail.



Very soon, we encounter brilliant yellow flower of Buffalo Bean (Prairie Thermopsis, Pea family).
This early spring flower must be the first few that came up for the spring. There were only few of them.



The old worn-out wooden sign of James Peak Wilderness, Roosevelt National Forest.



Crossing the Arapahoe Creek, the stream coming down from the "Forest and Arapahoe" Lakes. The flow is heavy from the spring snow melt.



Crossing another unknown creek. This one is probably the stream coming from the Crater Lakes. There are five crater lakes together. That's where we were going, Lowest Crater Lake, North lower Crater Lake, South lower Crater Lake, and two Upper Crater Lakes.



After having passed aspen forest at 8,500-9,500 feet level, we are running into spruce-fir forest belt.



Passing the trail  junction to the Forest and Arapahoe Lakes.
We will be hiking in the dense forest of subalpine firs, visible in front of us.



A remnant of an old house in the mountain meadow. The log cabin must have fallen very long time ago, and the weathered logs had become just a part of the nature. It no longer seems to be an offensive eyesore like a new house in the forest. A small patch of yellow flowers still blooming in the yard of the ancient ruins.
We walked along the creek in the valley. It must be damp all year-round in the deep valley floor as we saw a lot of trees with Spanish moss hanging down on their dead branches. It made me feel like I was in New Orleans, southern Louisiana.
I forgot to take pictures of them. It is truly a rare sight to see hanging mosses in Colorado.



We were making a progress as we entered Crater Lake trail junction. From here on, the slope became steep, climbing up a ridge that contains all those lakes in this area. We were in a dense forest of alpine firs. No views !!



The first significant group of wildflowers, possibly Richardson's Geranium (wild geranium) in the lower altitude.
This area, being somewhat wet, these could be American Globeflower.
The first patch of snow started in the midway, meaning that much more snow accumulations are ahead of us.



We ran into a brief rain and thunderstorm while climbing up the slope. As we were in a dense spruce forest, we weren't much worried about the thunder-lightenings. Before we got wet, the rain and the thunders stopped.
We were running into more snow accumulations, and the trail has disappeared. We were proceeding by following the foot-steps in the snow and the general direction.



After having passed Lower Crater Lake, finally we came upon an open meadow and the stream. The lake must be just over the snow bank. Fortunately, we arrived at the sliver of dry land between the North and South Crater Lakes.



At the shore of the North Crater Lake. The tree-line seems to be ending at the other side of the lake. Ahead of us, beyond the glacial moraine across the lake in the front, there must be the Upper Crater Lakes. It seemed to be a lot of additional steep climbs with ice and snow. We decide to stop here for today as we were not prepared for the additional trip. At the shore of the South Crater Lake, we had lunch. It had been a hard and steep climb to the lakes.



White Marsh Marigolds couldn't be more happier as they are practically floating while dipping their roots in the overflowing lake water.



Close-up of White Marsh Marigolds



This flowers and leaves are similar to Richardson's Geranium but being in the marshy water, they must be American Globeflowers. They always seem to co-exist side by side with Marsh Marigolds.



In the mountain marsh, a group of Marsh Marigolds and Globeflowers.



White Marsh Marigolds.



Just above the snow slope ahead of us, there must be the Upper Crater Lakes.
We didn't go further but stopped for lunch in the clean, snappy, and chilly air of the high altitude.



These (especially the leaves) look more like Richardson's Geranium but do they grow in the marsh?
They could be Smallflowered Anemones. There is one single Marsh Marigolds at the left edge.



White Marigolds, hanging at the shores of South Crater Lake.



Looking north at the North Crater Lake.



We returned to the open meadows of the lower valley.



On the way back, at the lower valley, we were passing the aspen forest.



The trail through the aspens.



Through the beautiful spring color of light green aspens. Their leaves just came out not long ago.



The last stretch of the trail.



Back to the parking lot at 3:00PM. A freight train with three locomotives, heading west, is waiting at the East Portal.
We will be heading the other way to home.