One of the best qualities of Colorado is the plethora of outdoor recreation opportunities that exist. Those people looking for a secluded, 'secret' spot need only to glance West from Denver where the soaring granite peaks of the Front Range shoot up to fourteen thousand feet. If you want to do some camping in colorado , the Indian Peaks Wilderness, a seventy-five-thousand acre Wilderness area offers secluded, spectacular mountain scenery painted with colorful wild flowers and frigid mountain streams.
Lost Tribe Lakes is one of the best and most secluded spots to hike to or camp in the Indian Peaks Wilderness area. This trip requires more then 8 miles of on-trail and roughly two miles of OFF-TRAIL hiking. Make sure that you have the correct maps and know how to interpret them before attempting this trip. You should begin your adventure by visiting the Boulder Ranger District office where you can obtain a Wilderness permit if you intend on staying overnight - a must if you really want to enjoy some seclusion.
Getting to the Fourth of July Trailhead
In Boulder, drive West on Canyon Boulevard (which turns into 119), eventually beginning your 18 mile climb up to the town of Nederland. As you arrive in Nederland you will approach a round-a-bout. You'll want to turn left, heading South on highway 72.
Go South 0.5 mile on Colorado 119 from Nederland to the Eldora turnoff. Turn North (right) off Colorado 119, go West past the turn to the Eldora Ski Area and continue West to the town of Eldora. It is 3.2 miles from Colorado 119 to the town of Eldora. From the Center of Eldora at 6th Street, continue west 1.5 miles on a dirt road to a signed junction. Take the Northern (right) road and continue up a series of steep hills 4.5 miles to the trailhead, which is just beyond the Buckingham Campground. There are a reasonable number of parking spaces at or near the trailhead. The last 4.5 miles are rough but passable for most passenger cars. The road is graded each June.
*Note - During the summer months the Fourth of July Trailhead gets EXTREMELY busy. Arrive EARLY for your best chance of getting a parking space.
The Hike: Getting to Lost Tribe Lakes
From the Fourth of July trailhead (10,150ft), head Northwest climbing 3 miles on the Arapaho Pass trail, arriving at Arapaho pass (11,906ft, on the Continental Divide). As you hike up to the pass you'll have SPECTACULAR views of high peaks on both sides of the trail. South and North Arapaho peaks tower above you to the North.
From the summit of Arapaho pass continue North, descending towards Caribou Lake (11,147ft). There are established back country campsites at Caribou Lake if you wish to make this a multi-night trip. As you descend into Coyote Park (the valley below Caribou Lake) you'll walk through lush, damp meadows where you might catch a glimpse of black bear, moose, or mule deer. You are on the Arapaho Creek trail as you continue to descend. Things are about to get adventurous.
Overland travel from Arapaho Creek trail to Lost Tribe Lakes
East of the Arapaho Creek trail are three prominent drainages. The first is un-named and leads to a small lake nestled below South Arapaho Peak. The second drainage, Wheeler Basin is much larger. Roughly .5 mile Northwest of the entrance to Wheeler Basin is a much small drainage that climbs (almost straight uphill) for roughly 1 mile. Here is where the adventure really starts.
Leave the trail soon after passing Wheeler basin, heading Northeast. A prominent ridge will separate the Wheeler Basin drainage from the Lost Tribe Lakes drainage. Climb steeply for one mile, topping out at approximately 11,600ft. As you climb up this drainage, look for a rifle sight notch in the rock. As you approach the top of the climb, you will be rock hoping across talus and boulders, water flowing beneath your feet.
Stepping through the notch at the summit of this drainage will take your breath away with spectacular views of the Lost Tribe Lakes and three 12,000ft peaks (Mount George, Iroquois, and Hopi) looming above. You're there!
Adventures like this require a bit of prior preparation and planning to give you the greatest chance of success. For those who are strong and motivated enough to reach this remote location, your reward will be that of spectacular and majestic mountain scenery and no crowds.
Share This Article
