Ptarmigan Lake Trailhead - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Ptarmigan Lake is a remote lake that sits at 12,147 feet in elevation above Chaffee County, Colorado. This lake offers breathtaking views and ample outdoor activities, making it a very popular destination during the summer and fall. visitors must hike up 3 miles of gradual incline, and are rewarded with an astonishing view of the blue water surrounded by towering peaks, pines, and glaciers.

This is a popular trail, which is gentle, family friendly grade with amazing destinations. The natural water slide area at Denny Creek is a must visit for families. The trails offer an authentic mountain experience as they go through the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness.

A high mountain pass on the Continental Divide of the Americas in the Sawatch Range of Colorado. It rises to the west out of Buena Vista, heading over the Continental Divide. It’s an amazing mountain pass to see colorful fall aspen groves. It connects with Almont near Crested Butte, making it an excellent summer trip. The road closes in winter due to heavy snowfall, usually sometime in October.

Mount Yale is the eighth highest peak in the Sawatch Range and twenty-first in the state on Colorado. There are two routes up the mountain, each with accessible trailheads year-round. This makes it a good training peak for more difficult hikes and climbs. With lots of camping in the area, it’s a great opportunity to stay and climb several Sawatch 14ers in one trip.

The Collegiate Peaks Wilderness is a 168,000-acre area located in central Colorado between Leadville and Buena Vista to the east and Aspen to the west and Crested Butte to the southwest. There are numerous alpine creeks in the area's wide valleys and these are all quite marshy. Snow does not usually begin to melt until May or June and it remains year-round in places on some of the high peaks.

The Avalanche trailhead is a major access point for the Colorado Trail near Buena Vista. This is a popular trailhead for winter recreationists and provides ample parking for the many snowmobilers who converge on the area. Weekend snowmobilers love to ride to the top of Cottonwood Pass and over the Continental Divide to Taylor Park.