Willow Lakes - 17.4 Miles Round-Trip

The Willow Lakes are located west of Silverthorne, CO in the Eagles Nest Wilderness. The cluster includes three lakes and several large ponds in a remote valley of the Gore Range. Because reaching them takes considerable effort, most visitors choose to camp and take advantage of accommodating terrain and excellent fishing.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

Despite modest net elevation gain and miles of gentle grades, frequent gains and losses are cumulatively taxing. Plan accordingly and allow extra time for the return:

Follow the Rock Creek Trail to the Gore Range Trail and bear left (.4 miles : 9,638'). The Gore Range Trail drops to a large meadow and crosses North Rock Creek (.6 miles : 9,505'), then rises steeply into a thick, quiet forest (1.0 miles : 9,795').

Though beetle kill is prevalent, the forest floor remains unaffected and busy with life and color.

The trail bends sharply east (1.15 miles : 9,895') and laces several small ponds before resuming a due-south course. The pace quickens beyond 1.5 miles on a gradual descent to South Rock Creek (2.75 miles : 9,888'). Once over, it climbs steeply to a signpost pointing left around the north edge of two large, lily covered ponds (3.0 miles : 10,074').

Travel eases considerably to mile 4 (10,292'), where it glides downhill and narrows over a creek (4.5 miles : 10,184'). The trail steepens in thick timber that breaks at a vast blow-down area (5.2 miles : 10,315'), leveling through its skeletal remains to the Salmon - Willow Trail split (5.5 miles : 10,332').

The Willow Trail bends SW and rises sharply on a wide, rocky path. The climb moderates past 6.5 miles to the Salmon Lake Trail split (7.15 miles : 11,061'), where it flattens across a rock field (7.35 miles : 11,105') and over Salmon Lake's outlet stream (7.45 miles : 11,089').

The Willow Lakes Trail shifts frequently in a thin forest where snow, runoff and overgrowth may obscure it at various times of year. The trail crosses a wide pool along North Willow Creek (7.8 miles : 11,214') and skirts a large pond (8.0 miles : 11,237') to big views of Red Peak (13,189') and the serrated wall of Zodiac Ridge.

It rolls through an expanding alpine landscape to Willow Lake #1 (8.2 miles :11,247'), the smallest of the three. It's a short scramble to its cluttered shore, something you might skip in favor of views across the entire basin from the main trail a short distance ahead.

Still, those with time may opt to follow the west shore and climb the inlet to reach the outlet area of Lake #2, which has a complete view of this deceptively large lake, and one that's not possible from the main trail (Willow Lake #2 is hemmed by Red Peak, which limits exploration).

The main trail continues up-valley to a faint spur for Willow Lake #2 (8.35 miles : 11,364'), a rugged but compelling excursion. The Willow Lakes Trail undulates gently above an oblong pond - often mistaken for one of the lakes - to the edge of Willow Lake #3 (8.7 miles : 11,424').

Upper Willow Lake fills a steep-walled bowl just over treeline. Unlike the first two, it's shore is free of obstacles and easily explored. Scale its south slope for panoramas across the basin, and a chance to see mountain goat that inhabit cliffs and spires above the lake.