Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forests
Heart Lake - South Boulder Creek Trail #900

East Portal Trailhead to (one way):

• Heart Lake: 4.2 miles
• Rogers Pass: 4.6 miles

Elevations:

• East Portal Trailhead 9,211'
• Heart Lake: 11,300'
• Rogers Pass Lake: 11,060'
• Rogers Pass: 11,900'

Season of heaviest use: June through October (open year round)

Use: Moderate

Rating: More difficult

USGS Maps: East Portal and Empire Quads

Trailhead Location: Traveling south from Nederland on Highway 119, go west out of Rollinsville on gravel County Road (CR) 16 (also Moffat Road or Rollins Pass Road). Drive seven miles to the end of CR 16 (CR 16 ends at a T-junction). Go left one mile from the T-junction to park at the East Portal Trailhead.

A newly constructed trail leads from the parking area around the north side of the old train tunnel. This half-mile reroute of the South Boulder Creek Trail addresses safety and private property issues at the mouth of the Moffat Train Tunnel. The re-routed section rejoins the old South Boulder Creek Trail in the first meadow, where planks have been laid over the muddiest sections of trail. The Forest Lakes Trail intersection forks to the north in the second open meadow. Continuing southwest on the South Boulder Creek Trail, the grade grows steeper and the trail rockier. The Crater Lakes Trail turns right (north) off the South Boulder Creek Trail about 3/4 mile beyond the meadow of the Forest Lakes Trail junction. There is often a rock cairn marking this junction. Continue straight ahead another 3/4 mile, through some swampy areas, to a stream crossing. There is an obvious campsite just across the creek. The main South Boulder Creek Trail forks west (right) to Heart Lake, but it is obscured by massive deadfall and has been little used in recent years. An alternate social trail continues southwest (straight ahead) to another creek crossing, and then to Rogers Pass Lake. The trail to Rogers Pass Lake is a little less steep than the Heart Lake Trail, but the Heart Lake Trail (if it can be found) is a bit more direct. Just beyond where the two trails reconnect near Heart Lake, the South Boulder Creek Trail climbs steeply up several switchbacks to Rogers Pass. The trail then crosses the Continental Divide Trail and continues down the west side to the Rollins Pass Road in the Sulphur Ranger District, and changes its name to Rogers Pass Trail.