Polemonium viscosum - Alaina Krakowiak 02.jpg
Alaina Krakowiak · CC BY 4.0

American Lakes–Thunder Pass, 4 sights is a 15.1-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain National Park near Willey Lumber Camp, CO. The route passes American Lakes and Thunder Pass. It climbs 2,300 ft, with sections as steep as 25% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 54/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi10,155 – 11,329 ft · steepest grade: 25%15.2 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Cameron Pass Picnic Area Road 40.52065, -105.89378
Nearest town Willey Lumber Camp, CO

Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

American Lakes–Thunder Pass, 4 sights

15.1 mi · ▲ 2,300 ft · 6 hr 11 min

Elevation 10,155–11,331 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Mountain National Park

Trailhead: Cameron Pass Picnic Area Road · 40.52065, -105.89378

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 68°F / low 41° · precip 2% · wind 9 mph · sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 7:33 PM

No dogs on part of this route · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Cameron Pass Picnic Area Road, heading E.
  2. 200 ftBear left, heading E.
  3. 2.5 miBear left onto American Lakes Trail, heading S.
  4. 2.4 miPass American Lakes.
  5. 50 ftBear left onto Thunder Pass Trail, heading S.
  6. 0.7 miPass Thunder Pass.
  7. 1.7 miBear left onto Grand Ditch Trail, heading SE.
  8. 0.1 miTurn right, heading E.
  9. 0.2 miReach American Lakes, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  10. 0.3 miBear right onto Thunder Pass Trail, heading NW.
  11. 2.4 miBear right onto American Lakes Trail, heading W.
  12. 2.4 miBear right onto Michigan Ditch Trail, heading N.
  13. 2.5 miBear right onto Cameron Pass Picnic Area Road, heading NW.
  14. 50 ftArrive back at the trailhead.

Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.

Trail surface

63% dirt32% gravel1% paved4% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 68°F41°
Precip2%Wind9 mphUV8Humidity39%
Rained 0.3″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°40°
Sunrise 6:35 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:33 PM
Sat 69°45°
Sun 70°47° 16%
Mon 61°47° 28%
Tue 68°42° 20%
Wed 72°47° 26%
Thu 69°47° 26%

Good to know

  • No dogs on part of this route
  • Toilets at the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Cameron Pass Picnic Area Road Trailhead