Black Lake Trail

A crescendo of rivers, waterfalls, and stunning landscapes along the way make the entire hike feel incredibly special.

Plan Around Black Lake Trail

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Black Lake Trail Details

Although Black Lake is the ultimate destination of this trail, a crescendo of rivers, waterfalls, and stunning landscapes along the way make the entire hike feel incredibly special. The trail starts at the Glacier Gorge Trailhead, and within the first mile hikers will arrive at Alberta falls. At about a mile and a half into the trail, hikers will turn right at the North Longs Peak Trail junction, and continue on to Glacier Gorge and cross Glacier Creek. Next, hikers will pass Glacier Falls and Mills Lake, and be able to see the towering Pagoda and Thatchtop mountains. The trail continues past Jewel Lake and Ribbon Falls, and not much further past these tumbling falls is Black Lake. The lake is bordered by the 13,000 foot-plus Arrowhead and McHenrys Peaks.

Difficulty

Moderate

Distance

4.7

Estimated time

Region

N/A

Nearby Parks Around Black Lake Trail

Compare nearby parks around Black Lake Trail when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.

5.7 mi away

Rocky Mountain

National Park · CO

163.2 mi away

Black Canyon

National Park · CO

178.2 mi away

Great Sand Dunes

National Park · CO

242.4 mi away

Arches

National Park · UT

253.8 mi away

Mesa Verde

National Park · CO

257.2 mi away

Canyonlands

National Park · UT

Nearby Points of Interest Around Black Lake Trail

Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Black Lake Trail while the map context is still fresh.

0.1 mi away

Chaos Canyon

A valley with an elevation of 2,790 meters, or 9,154 feet.

0.2 mi away

Bear Lake Trailhead

You have your choice of easy or difficult hikes from the Bear Lake Trailhead.

0.2 mi away

Bear Lake Trailhead

You have your choice of easy or difficult hikes from the Bear Lake Trailhead.

0.2 mi away

Mills Lake

Mills Lake captures the beauty and sublimity of the Rocky Mountain wilderness.

0.2 mi away

Alberta Falls

This short, scenic trail leads to the immensely popular Alberta Falls.