Poudre Lake & Crater Trail
2 mi · ▲ 700 ft · 1 hr 1 min
Poudre Lake & Crater Trail is a 2-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain National Park near Gaskil, CO. The route reaches Poudre Lake. It climbs 700 ft, with sections as steep as 22% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 7/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: paved and peopled.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Poudre Lake & Crater Trail
2 mi · ▲ 700 ft · 1 hr 1 min
Elevation 10,752–11,473 ft
Out & Back · Rocky Mountain National Park
Trailhead: Crater trailhead parking · 40.42413, -105.80820
Weather Sep 5: sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:32 PM
Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Crater Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftPass Poudre Lake.
- 1 miReach Poudre Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 1 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 0.9 mi in (~44 min). Leave by 6:28 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 8:10 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Crater trailhead parking Trailhead
- Poudre Lake & Lake Irene via Ute Trail 1.5 mi · ▲ 80 ft
- Mount Ida–Poudre Lake, 3 summits 9.2 mi · ▲ 2,386 ft
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Hikes near Gaskil, Colorado