Leadville Ranger District
The Leadville Ranger District is home to the Sawatch Range, the highest mountain range in Colorado. These rugged, glaciated mountains form the crest of the Continental Divide. Mount Elbert, at 14,443 feet, is Colorado's highest peak and one of 10 "fourteeners" located on the district.
Leadville was once a booming mining town during the Colorado gold rush and competed with Denver to be the capitol city of Colorado. At 10,152 feet, it is the highest incorporated city in the United States. Leadville is a rustic mountain town rich in mining history and unsurpassed natural beauty.
Large, developed campgrounds and picnic areas at Turquoise Lake Recreation Area and Twin Lakes Recreation Area provide abundant recreation opportunities. Fishing, boating and hiking are popular summertime activities. Because of the district's high altitude, late spring snows occasionally delay the opening of some facilities.
At 12,095 feet, Independence Pass is one of the highest paved mountain passes in the United States. Here, the Top of the Rockies National Scenic and Historic Byway crosses the Continental Divide, offering motorists breathtaking views of the Rockies and a close look at its rugged alpine tundra habitat. The Arkansas River also begins its long journey to the Gulf of Mexico here. There are many opportunities to drive on four-wheel drive roads on the Leadville Ranger District, but OHVs must be registered.
General Information
This recreation region is managed by the Leadville Ranger District.
Passes & Permits
Visit Recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777 for campground reservations. Campground reservations cannot be made ranger district offices.
Special use permits are required for groups of 75 or more persons and all commercial activities, including outfitting and guiding. Visit the Special Use and Event Permits page to learn more.
America the Beautiful - National Parks and Federal Recreational Lands Passes are a suite of annual and lifetime passes that provides U.S. citizens and visitors an affordable and convenient way to access federal recreational lands. Up to 100% of the pass program's proceeds are used to improve and enhance visitor recreation services.
Complexes
Forest Service Road 390, known as the Clear Creek Road, provides several trailhead accesses into the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness. Please be respectful. Bicycles are not permitted within the Wilderness. Dispersed camping opportunities can be found in the old mining settlement of Winfield, and visitors looking to find a bit of old mining history will find it in Vicksburg.
The Clohesy Lake Cabin was struck by lightning and burned down. It was located near Winfield, Colorado surrounded by the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.
Clohesy Lake/Pear Lake Trailhead accesses Clohesy Lake Trail #1461.A and the Pear Lake Trail #1461.
The Lake Ann Trail #1462 is accessed from the South Fork Clear Creek Trailhead.
Vicksburg was founded in 1867 after prospectors from Leadville camping out in the Clear Creek Canyon lost their burros.
The Winfield dispersed camping area is located just off of Forest Service Road 390 with a few flat areas for RVs or tents.
Crystal Lake is a small lake with a fantastic view of the Sawatch Range near Leadville, Colorado. It's location off US Highway 24, makes this an ideal fishing spot for the whole family.
Crystal Lake is a fly/lure lake only. Remember to check fishing regulations before fishing at any body of water. For stocking reports and more information on regulations or fishing licenses, check out the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website.
Crystal Lake is a small, standing lake with a fantastic view of the mountains rising up in any direction. Crystal Lake is a fly/lure lake only.
The lake stocked by the Leadville National Fish Hatchery with rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout and cutthroat. Use only artificial flies and lures.
The Frenchmen Creek Area is located northwest Buena Vista, Colorado. This area offers several trails that access the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.
Collegiate Peaks Wilderness was designated by the United States Congress in 1980, and it now has a total of 167,584 acres. Located in Colorado, this wilderness spans the Gunnison, White River and Pike-San Isabel National Forests and is home to eight "fourteeners" (peaks exceeding 14,000 feet in elevation), including Huron Peak (14,005 feet), Missouri Mountain (14,067 feet), Mount Columbia (14,073 feet), Mount Oxford (14,153 feet), Mount Yale (14,196 feet), Mount Belford (14,197 feet), La Plata (14,340 feet, the state's fifth highest point) and Mount Harvard (14,420 feet, the state's third highest point).
Please help keep wilderness wild by following the wilderness regulations and practice Leave No Trace principles. In particular, please refrain from having campfires above 11,000 feet.
The Halfmoon Recreation Area along Forest Service Road 110, follows the southern border of the Mount Massive Wilderness. It provides access to several popular campgrounds, as well as two of the most popular trailheads on the Leadville Ranger District, the Mount Massive trailhead and the North Elbert Trailhead. From the Mount Massive Trailhead, visitors can access the beautiful Mount Massive Wilderness.
The Mount Massive Wilderness was established in 1980 which was established in 1980 to preserve its quality, character, and integrity. This area is intended to be a place where the imprint of humans is substantially unnoticed; where natural processes are the primary influences, and human activity is limited to primitive recreation and minimum tools.
Please follow Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics to ensure that this and future generations experience this special place in its natural state.
Located off the Halfmoon Road (Forest Service Road 110), Elbert Creek is a first-come, first-served campground with 17 sites, adjacent to the Mount Elbert and Mou
Halfmoon East is a first-come, first-served campground, with five sites located off the Halfmoon Road (Forest Service Road 110) near the Mount Elbert and Mount Ma
Located about six miles down the Halfmoon Road, Emerald Lake is a day use picnic and fishing area in a shady lodgepole pine forest. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout.
The Willow Creek Trailhead is located at the end of Forest Service Road 110A and provides access to the Mount
Mount Elbert is Colorado's highest peak and the second highest peak in the lower 48 states, with an elevation of 14,433 feet.
Mount Massive, at 14,421 feet, it is the second highest peak in Colorado at just 12 feet behind its southern neighbor, Mt. Elbert.
Mount Massive Wilderness was designated by Congress in 1980, and it now has a total of 30,540 acres.
North Elbert Trail #1484: 4.3 miles (one way), 4,400 feet elevation gain
This trail is 5.8 miles long and can be accessed from the South Elbert Trailhead above Twin Lakes on County Road 24.
Mount Massive Trail #1487 is the primary route to Mount Massive, the second highest peak in Colorado, at 14,421
North Halfmoon Creek Trail #1485 is a steep, 3.4-mile (one way) trail with 3,950 feet in elevation gain that takes visitors to the North Halfmoon Lakes.
The Hayden Gulch Area is in the eastern part of the Leadville Ranger District near Granite, Colorado. This area offers access to the Buffalo Peaks Wilderness.
Buffalo Peaks Wilderness, encompassing 41,232 acres, was congressionally designated in 1993. It get its name from the 13,000-foot Buffalo Peaks located 15 miles southwest of Fairplay, Colorado. Elevations range from 9,200 to 13,326 feet from sea level. This area differs from other surrounding Wilderness areas by virtue of its high potential for solitude.
Please help keep wilderness wild by following Leave No Trace practices.
Buffalo Peaks Wilderness, encompassing 41,232 acres, was congressionally designated in 1993.
Buffalo Ridge Trail #1470 is located east of Granite, Colo., at the end of Forest Service Road 396 (Hayden Gulch Road), which is four-wheel drive access only.
Low Pass Trail #1518 is a 4.9-mile, very primitive trail that starts on Bureau of Land Management lands, continues on to U.S.
The Leadville Ranger District is home to some of the most beautiful peaks in all of Colorado, including the two highest points, Mount Elbert (14,433 feet) and Mount Massive (14,421 feet). From well-traveled routes to greatly isolated peaks, these fourteeners tower above the towns of Leadville and Twin Lakes below, where their peaks can be seen shrouded in white at any point in the year.
Fourteeners are well traveled due to their challenging and rewarding nature and many see heavy use. Fourteeners are not to be taken lightly, and visitors should take the proper precautions when visiting these peaks. Along with high altitude sickness, visitors can experience exhaustion and dehydration. Visitors coming from low altitude areas should take some time to acclimatize themselves before attempting the peaks.
Many fourteeners are located in wilderness areas where special regulations apply. Wilderness areas are intended to be a place where the imprint of humans is substantially unnoticed, natural processes are the primary influences and human activity is limited to primitive recreation and minimum tools.
Climbing is dangerous, even deadly! There are no shortcuts. Check out Colorado Fourteeners Initiative YouTube Channel to learn more about the risks associated with climbing and how to help protect the rare and fragile alpine tundra ecosystems on these peaks.
Safety and ethics
- Review outdoor recreation safety information and be prepared for your trip.
- Follow Leave No Trace principles to help protect our special places.
- Wilderness.net - This multi-agency site works to connect federal employees, scientists, educators, and the public with their wilderness heritage.
Huron Peak is 14,003 feet and a popular climb accessed at South Fork Clear Creek Trailhead
La Plata Peak, Colorado's fifth highest peak at 14,336 feet, is accessed via the La Plata Gulch Trail #1474.
Missouri Mountain is the 36th highest peak in Colorado, at 14,067 feet, and is located in the Collegiate Pe
Rising from the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness at 14,197 feet, Mount Belford is the 19th highest peak in Colora
At 14,073 feet, Mount Columbia is the 35th highest peak in Colorado.
Mount Elbert is Colorado's highest peak and the second highest peak in the lower 48 states, with an elevation of 14,433 feet.
At 14,420 feet, Mount Harvard is the third highest peak in Colorado and one of the many peaks in the C
Mount Massive, at 14,421 feet, it is the second highest peak in Colorado at just 12 feet behind its southern neighbor, Mt. Elbert.
Mount Sherman, is Colorado's 46th highest peak at 14,036 feet. This mountain, usually considered one of the easiest of Colorado's 54 Fourteeners, is an excellent
The Colorado Trail is a backcountry, multiuse trail connecting Denver and Durango, Colo. It is over 483 miles of contiguous trail. The exact mileage for the trail is ever changing as trail segments are changed and rerouted. The project that was to be the Colorado Trail began in 1973 with a grant from the Gates Foundation and was completed in 1987. The trail sees considerable usage from day hikers, mountain bikers (although not in sections in wilderness), horseback riders and die-hard thru hikers.
The Colorado Trail and the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail follow the same path for approximately 200 miles.
The Colorado Trail #1776 is maintained by the Colorado Trail Foundation and the Forest Service.
Segment 9: Tennessee Pass Trailhead to Timberline Lake Trailhead
Segment 10: Timberline Lake Trailhead to Mount Massive Trailhead
Segment 11: Mount Massive Trailhead to Clear Creek Road
Segment 12: Clear Creek Road to Silver Creek Trailhead
Sitting deep in the forest west of Leadville, Turquoise Lake takes its name from the turquoise mines that produced the semiprecious stone in Leadville's not too distant past. A spot prized for its fishing, camping, and hiking, Turquoise Lake provides some of the most beautiful views on the Leadville Ranger District. The east end of the lake hosts the majority of campgrounds, while the west end of the lake hosts the popular May Queen Campground near the Timberline Lake Trailhead, which accesses the Holy Cross Wilderness. To the southwest of the lake rises the Mount Massive Wilderness, along with such beautiful hikes as Native Lake and Windsor Lake. Snow in these areas can stay well into midsummer and possibly longer.
Turquoise Lake is heavily visited, especially during the summer months. Reservations for the campgrounds on Turquoise Lake that accept them are often filled early, especially for holiday weekends. Camping is only allowed in developed campgrounds in the Turquoise Lake Area. There is no dispersed camping available.
The standard limit of fish allowed from Turquoise Lake is four fish total: two lake trout within the four fish limit with no size restrictions. Turquoise Lake is stocked with rainbow, brown, cutthroat and brook trout. Turquoise Lake is rated as fair to good fishing.
A valid Colorado fishing license is required. Remember to check fishing regulations before fishing at any body of water. For stocking reports and more information on regulations or fishing licenses, check out the Colorado Parks & Wildlife website.
Abe Lee Fishing Site is located on the south shore of Turquoise Lake, 6 miles west of Leadville.
Baby Doe Campground is located in a shaded lodgepole pine forest, along the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake, at an elevation of 9,900 feet.
Bear Lake is located north of Turquoise Lake, 1/2 of a mile within the Holy Cross Wilderness.
Belle of Colorado Campground is a tent-only campground with 19 sites located on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake in a shaded lodgepole pine forest.
This picnic/day use area is located at the far western end of Turquoise Lake, adjacent to
Father Dyer Campground has 26 sites and is located in a shaded lodgepole pine forest near the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake at an elevation of 9,900 feet.&
Located near the Matchless boat ramp on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake, Maid of Erin is a beautiful area to enjoy a picnic with friends and family.
Matchless Campground is located on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake, has 20 sites and can accommodate larger recreational vehicles.
Named after the "unsinkable" Molly Brown on the Titanic, this campground is located on the eastern shore of Turquoise Lake in a shaded lodgepole pine forest
A scenic overlook of Turquoise Lake along the north shore drive along Coun
Printer Boy is located within the Turquoise Lake Recreation Area and is a great campground for larger groups.
This a day use pull out area that has views of Turquoise Lake.
A popular area for fisherman of all ages, the Turquoise Lake Sugarloaf Dam is a good spot to take in the majestic beauty of Turquoise Lake.
Tabor Campground is located along the northeastern shore of Turquoise Lake in a shaded lodgepole pine forest at 9,900 feet.
This a day use pull out area that has views of Turquoise Lake.
This is a moderately easy loop in the Hagerman Pass Area that is 5.5 miles round-trip.
This trail takes you to Native Lake (4.2 miles) and to the Leadville National Fish Hatchery (9.4 miles).
This 2.2-mile nonmotorized trail accesses the beautiful Timberline Lake in the Holy Cross Wilderness.
This 6.4-mile trail parallels the shoreline of Turquoise Lake from the dam to May Queen Campground.
This 1.1-mile trail accesses the beautiful alpine Windsor Lake in the Mount Massive Wilderness.
Located nearly in the center of the Leadville Ranger District, the Twin Lakes Recreation Area provides many different opportunities for recreation. Scenic drivers and road cyclists can enjoy the beautiful Independence Pass and view the aspens in fall, which draw thousands of people every year. Hikers can enjoy the nearby Interlaken Trail and Big Willis Gulch Trail while also taking in some of the historic sites, such as the Twin Lakes Historic Village and Interlaken Historic Resort.
Twin Lakes also hosts many sites for fishing, camping and sight-seeing. On either side of Twin Lakes rise fourteeners, including Mount Elbert and La Plata Peak, and a host of smaller peaks, such as Mount Hope and Twin Peaks. Within driving distance are three wilderness areas: Buffalo Peaks Wilderness, Collegiate Peaks Wilderness and Mount Massive Wilderness.
Twin Lakes sees a great deal of visitor traffic, especially during the summer months. Reservations for the Lakeview and White Star campgrounds fill up early in the season.
Big Mac Fishing Site is located on the northern shore of Twin Lakes Reservoir near the Mount Elbert Power Plant and Visitor Center off of U.S. Highway 82.
Dexter Campground is located on the northern shore of Twin Lakes Reservoir, adjacent to the Dexter Point Boating S
This is the boat ramp for Twin Lakes, located on the north shore of the lake just off of Highway 82.
At 12,095 feet, Independence Pass is one of the highest paved mountain passes in the United States.
This historic resort is located along the southern shore of Twin Lakes. Built by John A.
Lakeview Campground is a large campground situated in lodgepole pine, ponderosa pine and sage habitat at an elevation of 9,500 feet, overlooking Twin Lakes R
This day-use site is just east of Twin Lakes with views of Twin Peaks, Hope Pass and Parry Peak and access to fishing on the upper Twin Lake.
Monitor Rock is a popular rock climbing area located on the north side of State Highway 82, approximately 4 miles west of Twin Lakes, Colorado.
This is the only designated picnic area on Twin Lakes. Amenities include picnic tables, fire rings with grates and a vault restroom.
Mountain View Fishing Site is located on the northeast shore of Twin Lakes.
North Fork Lake Creek Trailhead offers access to Mount Massive Wilderness area via the North Fork Lake Cre
Parry Peak Campground has 25 first-come, first-served sites. It sits in a shady aspen and lodgepole pine forest along Lake Creek.
Located on the northwest shore of Twin Lakes, the Red Rooster Boating Site allows access to the lake for stand-up paddleboarding and kayak use, and the Interlaken boat tour
Sayers Gulch Trailhead accesses the Sayers Gulch Trail #1465, a 1.4-mile trail in the Collegiate Peaks Wildernes
This is a popular, 2.5-mile trail with an elevation gain of 2,670 feet that takes you to Hope Pass.
Sunnyside Fishing Site is located on the northeastern shore of Twin Lakes Reservoir.
Located next to Colorado's two largest glacial lakes, the Twin Lakes Village began as a stop en-route between the mining districts of Leadville and Aspen.
Twin Peaks is a first-come, first-served campground with 35 sites located west of Twin Lakes Reservoir in a shaded aspen and lodgepole pine forest above the whitewater
Located on the northern shore of Twin Lakes Reservoir east of the Mount Elbert Power Plant and Visitor Center off of U.S. Highway 82.
White Star Campground is in ponderosa pine and sage habitat at 9,300 feet on the northern shore of Twin Lakes Reservoir.
Black Cloud Trail #1480 is located off of Highway 82 across from the Twin Peaks Campground.
This paved foot trail provides a scenic walk from the parking area to the viewing platform on top of the summit at 12,135 feet.
This 2.2-mile, nonmotorized trail offers an easy walk or mountain bike ride to the historic resort cabins of Interlaken.
This 5.5-mile trail is a moderate hike with an elevation gain of 2,400 feet. The end destination is Willis Lake and a mine just beyond the lake.
Recreation Sites
3 Elk Creek Trail #1455
Abe Lee Fishing Site
Baby Doe Campground
Bear Lake Trailhead
Belle of Colorado Campground
Big Mac Fishing Site
Black Cloud Trail #1480
Boustead Tunnel Observation Site
Buckeye Gulch
Buffalo Peaks Wilderness