Is Hope Lake trail near Telluride Colorado a good day hike option? A Photographers opinion…
Hope lake sits at nearly 12,000 feet elevation.
Hiking The Stunning Hope Lake Trail
As someone who has been visiting and exploring the Telluride Colorado area for over 30 years, I finally got the opportunity to complete the popular day hike to Hope Lake in August of 2023. I had made plans several times over the last 20 years to do this hike but something always seemed to pop up like Thunderstorms if the forecast, bad hangover, or just simply running out of time. The biggest preparation and speed bump in my view was always having a few days prior to the hike to acclimatize as the Hope Lake sits at nearly 12,000 feet elevation. I have learned the hard way that getting AMS (Acute Mountain Sickness) on a high altitude Alpine trail is no fun and will definitely ruin your day at a minimum.
So after a few days fly-fishing small streams in the Telluride area, I set out with my buddy Dave who is a Telluride resident and professional mountaineering guide one morning and drove to the trailhead above and behind Trout Lake. It was about 20 minutes away from where I was camping in a dispersed campsite in the forest. The hike itself is a roughly a 5 mile round trip. The trailhead starts at about 10,700 feet, so there is an the elevation gain of roughly 1,200 feet with a few steep and rocky trail sections. Its considered a moderate hike, but I struggled a bit as I had tweaked my knee fly-fishing a day earlier and was still feeling the altitude despite 2 full days camped at 9,000 feet. I would say the steady climb is probably manageable for most experienced and fit hikers who are acclimatized. My biggest regret was that we had not started earlier in the morning to give us more time to explore and fly-fish for Colorado Cutthroat trout that are plentiful in this stunning body of water.
Along the way, you’ll pass over a few creeks and through some dense forest and alpine meadows with some breathtaking and expansive views (see photos below) all the way back to Trout lake. Once you get above tree line and make the approach to the lake which is hidden from view until you basically reach it, the Rocky Mountain views become even more spectacular if that’s possible. The super vibrant and rust colored Vermilion peak at nearly 14,000 feet to the East is truly a sight to behold-see images below. And although it was late summer, there was still plenty of beautiful wildflowers lining the clearly defined trail above tree line. There was even some patches of snow lingering a testament to this truly high altitude environment
The lake itself sits in a alpine bowl and you don’t see it until you reach the rim. Its a stunning turquoise colored body of water with a rough trail circling its perimeter. I was pretty gassed when I got to the trail sign and overlook but it was well worth the effort. There were a fair number of hikers there already taking in the scenery but that was expected based on its popularity and the amount of people we saw coming up and down the trail.
Photography Opportunities:
As a professional landscape and nature photographer, I would say the landscape and Rocky mountain views once you get above tree line are just outstanding. The vibrant and dramatic rust stained colored peaks that are fairly common in this part of the San Juan Mountains just literally jump off the screen. Not to mention the other worldly color of the lake itself, and the dramatic reflections created by fast moving clouds over it. One of my biggest regrets is that I did not have time to set up and shoot a time-lapse video featuring the lake surface and cloud reflections racing across it. I f I recall, for still images I was using a 16mm prime wide angle lens on my canon mirrorless camera which was good choice in my opinion.
Fly Fishing For Colorado Cutthroat Trout:
Although we did not see or catch any, Hope Lake reportedly has a healthy population of Colorado River Cutthroat trout which I personally believe are the most beautiful species of Cutthroat trout in the USA. Unfortunately for us, by the time we arrived at the lake and finished a quick lunch, the wind had come and made it extremely difficult to cast out with our fly-rods. These fish tend to cruise along drop-offs or ledges in lakes, and we were unable to see or reach them with the high winds and chop on the water. Again, another reason why should have started the hike a few hours earlier. On the way up the trail we did run into a few anglers coming down that had camped overnight at the lake and they reported they had a lot of success.
Conclusion:
So, whether you're a seasoned hiker or just looking for a memorable outdoor adventure in the San Juan Mountains of Southwest Colorado, I would highly recommend the Hope Lake trail. Its not a technical or very hard hike by any means, but its still a good workout because of the elevation and some steep switchbacks. Just be sure to acclimatize a few days if you are not a local and bring plenty of water. Always check the weather particularly in the summer months. I can assure you that you don’t want to be caught exposed above tree line with thunderstorms in the vicinity. There is a plenty of parking at the trailhead as they have added a second parking area below the main parking lot at the actual trailhead. From what I have heard, generally you need to wait to mid or late June to start accessing the trail depending on the winter snow pack.
So, is Hope Lake Trail worth hiking? Absolutely! With its breathtaking views and serene setting, it’s easy to see why this trail is a favorite among locals and visitors alike.
Contact Info
Feel free to contact me now if you have any questions about this hike or fly-fishing in the Telluride area.
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Heading up the trail with the mighty Vermilion Peak in the distance.
Lookin back from the trail as we are just starting to reach tree line. Trout lake is off in the distance with the San Miguel or Wilson range behind it.
Beautiful snow fed small creeks are abundant in this Alpine environment.
Sitting on the rim with my buddy Dave above the lake with sign and Vermilion Peak looming in the background.
This is the view that awaits you when you reach the end of the trail.
The super vibrant turquoise blue water of Hope Lake has to be experienced in person. Its an incredible contrast to warm and rust colored rocks and landscape surrounding it. Not to mention the wildflowers too…
No luck fly-fishing this visit. But I will be back…
In reality, Hope Lake is actually a man made reservoir that was created in 1905 to help store water for the Ames Power Plant far below. You can see the dam directly across from where I captured this photo. There are several small creeks that feed this impoundment from the surrounding 13,000 foot peaks..
My buddy Dave scanning the shoreline looking for a good spot for us to try fishing for the stunning colored Colorado River Cutthroat trout. Unfortunately are plans were foiled by high winds that came out of nowhere……
Heading back down the trail to a cooler full of cold beer….