20 Attractions to Explore Near Twin Lakes Dam

Twin Lakes Reservoir is surrounded by nature, with the typical Colorado recreation found within the bordering San Isabel National Forest. It has a surface area of 2700 acres and a maximum capacity of 141,000 acre-feet. Recreation includes boating, fishing for trout, and camping at five Forest Service campgrounds in the area.

Mt Elbert Forebay Reservoir, a 275 acre impoundment, offers excellent fishing for brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout.Water from the forebay goes downhill to the Mount Elbert Powerplant, a hydroelectric plant. The plant also pumps water back into the forebay so it can be used again to generate hydroelectric power. The forebay is a component of the Fryingpan-Arkansas Project.

Clear Creek Reservoir, a 407 acre impoundment, offers excellent fishing for rain- bow, cutthroat and brown trout.Boating, camping and fishing are available at the lake, but even more recreation exists further west on the county road.

Hope Pass sits just below 13,000 feet in the shadow of Hope Peak. It's a long and fairly technical trek that weaves through dense forest. Enjoy this 8.7-km out-and-back trail near Buena Vista, Colorado. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 4 h 21 min to complete. This trail is great for hiking, and it's unlikely you'll encounter many other people while exploring.

The Missouri Gulch trail is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness Area of the San Isabel National Forest between Leadville and Buena Vista, Colorado. It begins at a large parking area south of Clear Creek Road (Chaffee County Road 390) across the road from the old town of Vicksburg. This trail ends at its junction with the Pine Creek Trail. The first 3.5 miles are strenuous, with an elevation gain of 3,500 feet.

Mount Hope is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch. The 13,939-foot thirteener is located in San Isabel National Forest, 20.1 miles northwest of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. It is one of the iconic location for a trek and also there are so many things to see and do.

North Mount Elbert Trail is 4.3 miles long and is located off the Halfmoon Road southwest of Leadville. . Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 7 h 42 min to complete. This is a very popular area for hiking.

Mount Elbert is Colorado's highest peak and the second highest peak in the lower 48 states. The mountain was named in honor of a Colorado statesman, Samuel Hitt Elbert, who was active in the formative period of the state and Governor of the Territory of Colorado. The easiest and most popular climbing routes are categorized as Class 1 to 2 or A+ in mountaineering parlance. Mount Elbert is therefore often referred to as the "gentle giant" that tops all others in the Rocky Mountains.

Weston Pass is a relatively easy, but rewarding off road destination in a beautiful area of ​​Rocky Mountain high country. This trail is not difficult though there are a few rocks in the trail that you may want to avoid if you do not have much clearance. The journey over Weston Pass was commonly known as “The Road to Riches,” with prospectors busy transporting the area’s silver and gold.

Mount Oxford is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County. The 14,160-foot fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, 14.2 miles northwest of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. The mountain was named in honor of the University of Oxford.

Mount Belford is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 14,203-foot fourteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, 15.0 miles northwest by west of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. A good trekking destination and also it offers breath taking views.

The Buffalo Peaks Wilderness is located in Park County, about 30 miles southwest of Denver. The wilderness area comprises two distinct peaks, East Buffalo Peak and West Buffalo Peak, which are connected by a deep canyon. The area is known for its scenic beauty, with towering cliffs, cascading waterfalls, and expansive views. Wildlife is abundant in the wilderness, with elk, deer, bighorn sheep, and black bears all making their home in the park.

La Plata Peak is another big and bulky Sawatch mountain, similar in configuration to Colorado's highest two mountains Mt. Elbert and Mt Massive. The nearby ghost towns of Winfield and Hamilton were prominent silver mining towns in the early part of the 20th century. Northwest Ridge and the Ellingwood Ridge are the prominent climbing routes in this area.

French Mountain is a high mountain summit in the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. The 13,966-foot thirteener is located on the Elbert Massif in San Isabel National Forest, 13.0 miles southwest by west of the City of Leadville in Lake County, Colorado, United States.

Missouri Mountain is a high mountain summit in the Collegiate Peaks of the Sawatch Range of the Rocky Mountains of North America. This mountain offers one of the few opportunities for any technical climbing in the Sawatch Range. It is possible to climb Belford, Oxford and Missouri together, but it makes for a long, hard day. This is a popular trail for camping, hiking, and snowshoeing, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.

Horseshoe Mountain is one of Colorado's highest peak ranked at number 72 with 758 feet of prominence. The mountain has a unique and prominent cirque. The cirque is tilted and made up of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks that formed on the floors of ancient seas.

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.

Mt. Harvard is the third highest peak in Colorado and only one of three 14ers within Colorado that rises above 14,400 feet. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 8 h 49 min to complete. This is a very popular area for camping, fishing, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring.

The Mount Massive Wilderness is a federally designated wilderness area in the Sawatch Range. The wilderness now contains over 30,000 acres, and it is co-managed by the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The name comes from Mount Massive, the second highest peak in Colorado, located inside the wilderness. It is the only federally designated wilderness area within the National Fish Hatchery System.

Emerald Peak is a high mountain summit of the Collegiate Peaks in the Sawatch. The 13,911-foot thirteener is located in the Collegiate Peaks Wilderness of San Isabel National Forest, 14.7 miles west-northwest of the Town of Buena Vista in Chaffee County, Colorado, United States. It is a good trekking destination and also it offers beautiful views and also it offers so many adventure options too.