Author’s note: I started this series of “road trip” columns a few weeks ago by writing about the Pueblo Mountain Park, located in Beulah, Pueblo County. Sadly, the park has been heavily damaged by the Aspen Acres fire and some of the historic buildings in the park have been destroyed. Many acres of the surrounding national forest lands have also been heavily damaged and, of course, all of this pales in comparison to the hundreds of homes that have been destroyed and lives upended due to this tragedy. Do your part and stay clear of the area affected by the fire, including after any restrictions are lifted. Donate what you can to reputable charities that are assisting the residents and businesses affected by the fire.
Over the last few installments of this column, I’ve endeavored to get you, dear readers, to venture out, drive a few hours and experience new trails and parks. So far, they have all been south or west of the Colorado Springs metro area. But today, we’re going north.
State Forest State Park is a place that if you go, you gotta want it. A four-hour drive from Colorado Springs, it is in a remote spot of the state, more than 60 miles west of Fort Collins and 20 or so miles east of tiny Walden, which isn’t really near anything, other than also being 22 miles from the state border with Wyoming. It is also home to some of the nicest people.
At nearly 71,000 acres, State Forest State Park is huge and is Colorado’s largest state park. By comparison, Fishers Peak State Park at the far south end of the state is also huge, but it’s under 20,000 acres. With 136 miles of trails, numerous lakes, campsites and yurts, the park offers many recreational opportunities. There are motorized trails to go along with the hiking trails, and there are many lakes available for anglers. There is also wildlife galore, as it is home to many moose, elk, deer, bears and pretty much any other wildlife you expect to find in Colorado.
On a recent trip there, I hiked a few different trails over a couple of days, and the experience was jaw dropping. It was often easy to forget that this was a state park, and not a national park or national forest due to, if nothing else, its sheer size. Couple that with some of its trails at elevations of more than 11,000’ and some peaks at over 12,000’, the breadth of this state park is simply overwhelming. As is somewhat typical with Colorado State Parks, the trails were well constructed and maintained, even better than what is often seen in national forests and some national parks.
We arrived at the park in mid-afternoon on our first day and hiked the Lake Agnes Trail. This is a short, moderately strenuous trail, at about a mile each way. The pay-off for the hike is a beautiful high alpine lake at around 10,600’, surrounded by tall mountains and the very jagged Nokhu Crags, an impressive and forbidding rock formation towering almost 2,000’ above the lake to 12,400’ in elevation. According to the Colorado Trails Explorer (COTREX) the Lake Agnes Trail goes about one third of the way around the lake, but the printed map available at the visitor’s center or online shows the trail going about half way around the lake. The difference between the two is that the extra distance shown on the printed map is subject to the water level in the lake and isn’t always accessible. On our visit there, the water level was low enough that we were able to travel to the farthest point on the trail, but in most years, the water level is high enough that you can’t go the extra distance. Due to the steepness of the Nokhu Crags on the southeast side of the lake, it’s impossible to hike completely around the lake.
Our next hike of the trip was to the American and Snow Lakes, which are on the other side of the Nokhu Crags from Lake Agnes. There are a few different routes to these lakes, including from the Lake Agnes Trailhead, the Crags Campground Trailhead or the American Lakes Trailhead. Note, however, that the route from the American Lakes Trailhead is closed for the next several months due to fire mitigation work. The other routes are still available.
We hiked in from the Crags Campground Trailhead. This trailhead has very limited parking for day users/non-campers, so we got there at about 7 a.m. to secure a spot. This is also the shortest distance to the lakes, which measured about 8 miles round trip and more than 2,000’ of ascent on my GPS.
Hiking to these lakes is much more strenuous and lengthier than to Lake Agnes, but none of this takes away from the beauty of the hike. The route goes through both densely forested areas and open alpine meadows, before breaking out above tree line a short distance from American Lake. The panoramic views are breathtaking and, on our visit, the wildflowers along the route and around American Lake created great photos. Snow Lake sits in a bowl above the west end of American Lake, and the trail from around American Lake to Snow Lake is short, but very difficult. Additionally, Snow Lake is surrounded by large rocks and boulders, and can be difficult to navigate. A population of marmots at Snow Lake raised a ruckus as we approached, squealing to alert others to our presence, which was entertaining. I don’t think Snow Lake is nearly as attractive as American Lake and if I return to the area in the future, I probably will not hike up to it, but it’s certainly worth seeing at least once.
Of course, in a park this size there is much more to do. Other popular lake hikes include Clear, Kelly and Ruby Jewel Lakes, and there are also trails for motorized users, including snowmobiling in the winter. Campgrounds in the park are fairly primitive and must be reserved in advance.
For more information about State Forest State Park, visit its website.
Be Good. Do Good Things. Explore.
Bob Falcone aka “Hiking Bob” has been a Colorado Springs resident for 35 years. A retired career firefighter and U.S. Air Force veteran, Bob is an avid hiker & outdoorsman. Bob spends his days traveling around Colorado and the American Southwest searching for hiking and photography opportunities and adventures, often with his loyal companion Coal the dog. Be sure to check out Hiking Bob’s website and podcast.
