Arapaho-Roosevelt National Forest
King Lake Trail #901

Hessie Trailhead to (one way):

• King Lake: 5.2 miles
• Betty Lake: 5.5 miles
• Bob Lake: 6 miles
• High Lonesome Trail: 5.7 miles

Elevations:

• Hessie Trailhead: 9,000'
• King Lake: 11,431'
• Betty Lake: 11,450'
• Bob Lake: 11,600'
• High Lonesome Trail: 11,650'

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

Use: Moderate

Rating: More difficult

USGS Maps: East Portal and Nederland Quads

Trailhead Location: From Peak-to-Peak Highway (Highway 119/72), turn west on County Road 130, located just south of the center of the town of Nederland, and follow the signs for Eldora Ski Resort and the town of Eldora. At the fork in the road, keep right through the town of Eldora. At the end of Eldora, continue west past the end of the pavement and turn left at the next fork in the road to Hessie Trailhead. A short stretch of this half-mile road to the trailhead is often flooded, with hidden rocks under the water line. If you do not have a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle, you will need to park in a legal spot along County Road 130. Since several popular trails originate from the Hessie Trailhead, the trailhead area is extremely busy, especially on weekends, and parking is limited. Plan to arrive early and watch for signs along the road indicating legal parking spots. There is very little parking at the trailhead itself.

A stretch of the road from County Road 130 to the Hessie Trailhead is a cobblestone creek bed. It carries water year round and runs heavily in the spring and early summer. It is passable by 2-wheel drive vehicles; however, high clearance is highly recommended. There is a parallel trail so hikers can bypass the water.

The trail from Hessie to King Lake traces the source of the South Fork of Middle Boulder Creek through forest, brushy riparian woodland and wet meadows. King Lake lies in a cirque basin above the treeline, just below the Continental Divide.

The quarter-mile long Columbine Trail enables hikers to bypass the flooded section of the road to Hessie Trailhead. It starts at the bottom of the first hill just before the water and comes in at the Hessie Townsite. From the Townsite, the road continues rough and with large mud puddles another quarter-mile to the Hessie Trailhead.

From the trailhead, cross the footbridge and take the Devil's Thumb Trail #902, which climbs steeply for about a half-mile on an old road. The Devil's Thumb Bypass turns right (north) in 0.8 miles, just before the bridge. Do not take the Devil's Thumb Bypass, as it does not intersect the King Lake Trail.

It is 1.1 miles from the trailhead to the Lost Lake Trail junction, which is right at the top of a hill. From there it is a flat 0.2 miles to the right to the King Lake Trail junction.

The King Lake Trail soon enters the Indian Peaks Wilderness. After the first steep section of trail, the route to King Lake levels out some, steadily gaining about 1,200 feet in elevation over the next four miles. Towards the upper end, the trestles of the Moffat Road are visible on the side of the ridge to the left. About a mile before reaching King Lake, the trail makes several switchbacks up a steep ridge, coming out of the trees and into the alpine tundra. Trail #810 to Bob and Betty Lakes forks north from the main trail about a quarter-mile east of King Lake. The trail to Bob and Betty is a small path and the junction is not always signed.

The King Lake Trail passes King Lake, then climbs a little ridge half a mile to the Continental Divide. There it meets the High Lonesome Trail #7 (part of the Continental Divide Trail) a half-mile north of Rollins Pass. A loop, from Hessie to King Lake to High Lonesome Trail to Devil's Thumb Lake and back to Hessie, makes a great 15-mile weekend backpacking trip.

Special Trail Regulations:

Backcountry camping in the Indian Peaks Wilderness is by permit only. Permits are required for camping along this trail from June 1 to September 15. Contact the Boulder Ranger District (303-541-2500) for information.