See the photo album of this trip here.
My friend Marshall and I headed for Wheeler Lake about 7:30 p.m. Friday night July 11th and returned Saturday afternoon July 12th. Our total trip was 11.2 miles. There were a couple of unique things about this hike, but before I get into that let me give you a few vital details.
Location:This is an easy hike to get to and only 75 minutes from Denver. Take Exit 195 and cross to the south side of I70. Take a left at the light and your parking area is immediately on your right. You will need to hike back over the I70 overpass. When you get to the other side, the Gore Range Trail goes down almost immediately on your left.
Map:
Click on map to enlarge. As of July, you could not start at the area marked TH (trail head). Follow my instructions above.
Fishing Report: If you like salamanders, the lower or first Wheeler Lake is going to be like heaven to you. I never saw a fish. I admit, that does not mean there are no fish. But, the four to six inch salamanders that look a lot like fish were everywhere in the water. Frankly, it was kind of creepy. As for the other Wheeler Lake, I did not catch any fish. As for Lost Lake, now this is a classic mountain bowl lake. It looks deep and it looks like it hold fish. I left my fishing pole back at camp so I really don't know how the fishing is.
Trail Report:Well maintained and a bit steep. The first mile is nearly flat and is right near I70. But from 1.25 miles to 2.25 miles you are treated to a nice climb. Not a killer, but it will remind you your alive. This is a well maintained trail that receives moderate use. My GPS said it was 3.1 miles to the end of the Wheeler Lakes spur. If possible, go back to the Gore Range Trail and continue on to Lost Lake. The trail to Lost Lake, especially after the first half mile or so, is well worth while.
Water availability:Water is available throughout this trip if you carry a purifier.
The Wheeler Lakes Trail is unique because you will be within site of Copper Mountain or I70 much of the trip. But, it is still a very nice Colorado mountain experience. If you take the Wheeler Lake Trail spur off the Gore Range Trail, be sure to go all the way to the end. The trail terminates in sort of an overlook spot that looks down on a beautiful bowl that is the top of Officers Gulch. Looking down the gulch you can actually see Silverthorne (I think) or Dillon. If it is night, the lights are neat to see and it's a reminder of how you can feel like your in the wilderness only a few miles from the lights of town.
Be sure to go on to Lost Lake. The trail to Lost Lake is pretty easy and well worth the trip. As I recall, our total trip length to Lost Lake including our travel on the Wheeler Lake spur and back was 5.8 miles. We did not have time to go on to Uneva Pass, but it is less than a mile up the trail and looked to be a spectacular overlook of the area.
I highly recommend this trip. It makes a great day trip or a late afternoon hike and camp trip.
This is beautiful.
Posted by: Tony | August 27, 2008 at 04:14 PM
Excellent track. Basically you can do it on two days, but experienced hikers can do it in one day. In any case, the accessibility of the trail to Denver makes it universally accessible and relatively spontaneous trip
Posted by: sourceoutdoor | October 14, 2010 at 04:12 PM