Turquoise Lake Road - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

Turquoise Lake is one of Colorado’s favorite high-altitude recreation destinations. Dammed in the 19th century and named for the rare turquoise deposits found nearby, Turquoise Lake offers 1,800 acres or year-round recreational fun. Boaters can soak up the sun at 10,000 feet after launching from Matchless Boating Site, a boat ramp located on the southeastern shoreline of the lake. It is also an ideal fishing destination.

Sugar Loaf Dam is located on the Lake Fork of the Arkansas River, approximately 5 miles west of Leadville, Colorado. It has a height of 135 feet feet and is over 2,000 feet long at its crest. Turquoise Lake is the reservoir created by the dam. The lake and its surrounding land provide various recreational activities for visitors in both the summer and winter.

Galena Mountain rises to the west of the town of Leadville in the northern parts of the Sawatch Mountains of central Colorado.The range was extremely jagged and permanently topped with ice and snow. The mountains were rich in valuable minerals, and mining operations were among the most productive on Toril. Due to the extremely impassable terrain that constituted the majority of the mountain range.

The California Gulch site consists of approximately 18 square miles in Lake County, Colorado. It is a unique thorn-scrub vegetated canyon, has been identified as an IBA in Arizona. It is accessed from Ruby Road by a rugged road south into the drainage. The canyon is unique with its dense shrub layer on its steep sides, and a perennial spring-fed stream draining into Mexico.

The Leadville National Fish Hatchery was established in 1889: at 117 years old, it is the second-oldest National Fish Hatchery in existence. It lies within the Mount Massive Wilderness, most of whose area lies within San Isabel National Forest and which is managed by the United States Forest Service. Leadville National Fish Hatchery was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1980.

Hagerman Pass is located in Pitkin County, Colorado. The pass is named for geologist Albert H. Hagerman, who surveyed the area in the late 19th century. Hagerman pass is situated at an elevation of 11,933 feet and it provides a crossing point for the Continental Divide. The pass is accessible by a 4x4 road and it offerst breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains. Although Hagerman pass is open all year round, it is recommended that visitors use caution when driving in winter conditions.