AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes
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Peak 10–Upper Crystal Lake, 5 sights

16.2 mi · ▲ 5,943 ft · 8 hr 22 min

Peak 10–Upper Crystal Lake, 5 sights is a 16.2-mile out-and-back near Wheeler Junction, CO. The route passes West Lake and Peak 10 before reaching Upper Crystal Lake at the turnaround, 8.1 miles in. It climbs 5,943 ft, with sections as steep as 67% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 40/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: green fringe.

Elevation

0 mi9,695 – 13,639 ft · steepest grade: 67%16.9 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Tenmile Recpath 39.50057, -106.16260
Nearest town Wheeler Junction, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Peak 10–Upper Crystal Lake, 5 sights

16.2 mi · ▲ 5,943 ft · 8 hr 22 min

Elevation 9,696–13,640 ft

Out & Back

Trailhead: Tenmile Recpath · 39.50057, -106.16260

Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 70°F / low 44° · precip 10% · wind 7 mph · sunrise 6:37 AM · sunset 7:33 PM

Transit-accessible: Passage Point stop 451 m from the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start on Tenmile Recpath, heading W.
  2. 150 ftTurn left onto A Road, heading S.
  3. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Gopher It, heading W.
  4. 50 ftContinue straight onto A Road, heading SW.
  5. 50 ftSharp left onto Gopher It, heading S.
  6. 50 ftContinue straight onto A Road, heading SE.
  7. 100 ftContinue straight onto Gopher It, heading SE.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto A Road, heading SE.
  9. 0.1 miBear left onto Guller Creek Trail, heading SE.
  10. 150 ftContinue straight onto New Old Road, heading SE.
  11. 0.3 miPass West Lake.
  12. 50 ftBear left, heading E.
  13. 350 ftTurn right onto Haul Road, heading NE.
  14. 0.3 miBear left, heading NE.
  15. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Copper Shuttle, heading N.
  16. 350 ftBear left, heading NE.
  17. 0.3 miBear right onto Sky Chutes Lane, heading NE.
  18. 150 ftTurn left onto Tenmile Recpath, heading NE.
  19. 0.1 miBear left, heading E.
  20. 450 ftTurn right onto Fremont Pass Recreational Pathway, heading NE.
  21. 0.6 miContinue straight onto Wheeler Trail, heading SE.
  22. 3.3 miTurn right, heading SE.
  23. 1.3 miPass Peak 10.
  24. 350 ftTurn right, heading S.
  25. 0.5 miSharp left, heading SW.
  26. 0.4 miSharp right onto Crystal Trail, heading E.
  27. 0.2 miPass Upper Crystal Lake.
  28. 350 ftReach Peak 10, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  29. 0.2 miSharp left, heading SW.
  30. 0.4 miSharp right, heading W.
  31. 0.5 miTurn left, heading N.
  32. 1.3 miTurn left onto Wheeler Trail, heading NE.
  33. 3.3 miContinue straight onto Fremont Pass Recreational Pathway, heading NW.
  34. 0.6 miTurn left, heading NW.
  35. 450 ftBear right onto Tenmile Recpath, heading NW.
  36. 0.1 miTurn right onto Sky Chutes Lane, heading NW.
  37. 150 ftBear left, heading N.
  38. 0.3 miBear right onto Copper Shuttle, heading SW.
  39. 0.2 miBear right onto Haul Road, heading SW.
  40. 0.3 miTurn left, heading SW.
  41. 400 ftBear right onto New Old Road, heading SW.
  42. 0.4 miContinue straight onto Guller Creek Trail, heading W.
  43. 100 ftBear right onto A Road, heading W.
  44. 0.1 miContinue straight onto Gopher It, heading W.
  45. 50 ftContinue straight onto A Road, heading W.
  46. 100 ftContinue straight onto Gopher It, heading W.
  47. 50 ftSharp right onto A Road, heading W.
  48. 50 ftContinue straight onto Gopher It, heading W.
  49. 100 ftContinue straight onto A Road, heading SW.
  50. 0.1 miTurn right onto Tenmile Recpath, heading W.
  51. 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 map, photos and weather for this hike: www.ambleway.com/hikes/peak-10-upper-crystal-lake-out-back-5-lakes

Trail surface

70% dirt17% paved13% unspecified

Weather

OvercastTemperature 70°F44°
Precip10%Wind7 mphUV8Humidity31%
Rained 0.1″ 5 days ago
Hourly temperature
70°40°
Sunrise 6:37 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:33 PM
Sat 71°47°
Sun 76°50° 28%
Mon 65°49° 40%
Tue 72°46° 19%
Wed 74°48° 39%
Thu 74°50° 44%

Sunset

The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.0 mi in (~233 min). Leave by 3:20 PM for the 7:33 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:20 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.

More sunset hikes nearby

Good to know

  • Transit-accessible: Passage Point stop 451 m from the trailhead
  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from Tenmile Recpath Trailhead

Hikes near Wheeler Junction, Colorado