Snow Lake–American Lakes, 6 sights is a 16.1-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain National Park near Gaskil, CO. The route passes Thunder Pass and American Lakes before reaching Snow Lake at the turnaround, 8.1 miles in. It climbs 3,161 ft, with sections as steep as 37% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 59/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: backcountry feel.
Elevation
0 mi9,016 – 11,523 ft · steepest grade: 37%16.8 mi
Getting there
Trailhead: Unnamed 40.40082, -105.84878
Nearest town Gaskil, CO
Directions
AMBLEWAYwww.ambleway.com
Snow Lake–American Lakes, 6 sights
16.1 mi · ▲ 3,161 ft · 6 hr 57 min
Elevation 9,015–11,522 ft
Out & Back · Rocky Mountain National Park
Trailhead: 40.40082, -105.84878
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 75°F / low 44° · precip 2% · wind 4 mph · sunrise 6:35 AM · sunset 7:32 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Toilets at the trailhead · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start at the trailhead, heading N.
- 300 ftContinue straight onto Colorado River Trail, heading N.
- 3.8 miContinue straight onto Thunder Pass Trail, heading NE.
- 1.1 miBear right, heading W.
- 0.2 miTurn left onto Grand Ditch Trail, heading NE.
- 0.1 miBear right onto Thunder Pass Trail, heading W.
- 1.5 miPass Thunder Pass.
- 0.7 miPass American Lakes.
- 0.1 miSharp left onto American Lakes Trail, heading N.
- 50 ftBear right, heading N.
- 0.5 miReach Snow Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.3 miTurn left, heading E.
- 0.2 miSharp right onto Thunder Pass Trail, heading E.
- 2.4 miBear left onto Grand Ditch Trail, heading E.
- 0.1 miTurn right, heading SE.
- 0.2 miBear left onto Thunder Pass Trail, heading E.
- 1.4 miContinue straight onto Colorado River Trail, heading SW.
- 3.3 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
61% dirt16% gravel1% paved22% unspecified
Weather
OvercastTemperature 75°F44°
Precip2%Wind4 mphUV8Humidity32%
Rained 0.2″ 4 days ago
Hourly temperature
75°40°
Sunrise 6:35 AM12 AM3 AM9 AM12 PM3 PMSunset 7:32 PM
Sat
76°51°
Sun
76°51°
17%
Mon
67°51°
22%
Tue
74°47°
18%
Wed
76°50°
29%
Thu
74°50°
37%
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Toilets at the trailhead
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from this trailhead
- Timber Lake Trail 7.3 mi · ▲ 1,307 ft
- Long Meadows Trail & Timber Lake Trail 7.9 mi · ▲ 1,444 ft
- Lake of the Clouds Trail & Red Mountain Trail via Grand Ditch Trail 12.3 mi · ▲ 2,198 ft
- Colorado River Trail–Red Mountain Trail Loop, 3 sights 12.7 mi · ▲ 1,445 ft
- Grand Ditch Trail 14.8 mi · ▲ 1,478 ft
- Lulu Mountain–Thunder Pass, 4 sights 15 mi · ▲ 3,467 ft
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