AMBLEWAY Wildest hikes

Rocky Mountain National Park

Shadow Mountain Lake & Shadow Mountain Lookout trail

11.3 mi · ▲ 1,758 ft · 4 hr 39 min

Shadow Mountain Lake & Shadow Mountain Lookout trail is an 11.3-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain National Park near Grand Lake, CO. The route reaches Shadow Mountain Lake. It climbs 1,758 ft, with sections as steep as 15% grade. It scores 54/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.

Elevation

0 mi8,317 – 9,925 ft · steepest grade: 15%11.5 mi

Getting there

Trailhead: Unnamed 40.20417, -105.83963
Nearest town Grand Lake, CO
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Directions

AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com

Shadow Mountain Lake & Shadow Mountain Lookout trail

11.3 mi · ▲ 1,758 ft · 4 hr 39 min

Elevation 8,317–9,924 ft

Out & Back · Rocky Mountain National Park

Trailhead: 40.20417, -105.83963

Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 7:32 PM

Parking lot at the trailhead

  1. Start at the trailhead, heading NE.
  2. 0.2 miTurn left, heading E.
  3. 350 ftTurn left, heading N.
  4. 0.2 miBear right onto Continental Divide Trail, heading N.
  5. 350 ftSharp right, heading NE.
  6. 0.3 miTurn left onto East Shore Trail, heading SE.
  7. 1.4 miPass Shadow Mountain Lake.
  8. 50 ftContinue straight onto East Shore Trail (Continental Divide Trail), heading NW.
  9. 150 ftSharp right onto Shadow Mountain Lookout trail, heading N.
  10. 3.3 miReach Shadow Mountain Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
  11. 3.3 miSharp left onto East Shore Trail (Continental Divide Trail), heading NW.
  12. 150 ftContinue straight onto East Shore Trail, heading NW.
  13. 1.4 miTurn right, heading S.
  14. 0.3 miSharp left onto Continental Divide Trail, heading W.
  15. 350 ftBear left, heading W.
  16. 0.2 miTurn right, heading S.
  17. 300 ftTurn right, heading SE.
  18. 0.2 miArrive 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/shadow-mountain-lake-shadow-mountain-lookout-trail-out-back-18-km

Trail surface

41% dirt59% unspecified

Weather

Sunrise 6:35 AMSunset 7:32 PM

Good to know

  • Parking lot at the trailhead

More from this trailhead

Hikes near Grand Lake, Colorado