Thunder Lake
This popular lake requires a good deal of effort to reach, but the scenery around the lake is well worth it.
Plan Around Thunder Lake
A good stop is not just something to read about. Once it belongs on the day, move into a saved trip and build the route around it.
Use this detail page to confirm that the stop is worth it, then carry that decision into a trip draft while the park context is still fresh.
Thunder Lake Details
Lying deep within the high alpine zone of Wild Basin, this popular lake requires a good deal of effort to reach, but the scenery around the lake is well worth it. Surrounded by the rising peaks of the Continental Divide, the large lake is well known for its remote beauty and excellent fishing, and is popular backcountry camping area (backcountry permit required). Following the North St. Vrain Creek through an evergreen forest, the trail rises gently to a charred hillside now filled with young aspen and pine, as well as a variety of wildflowers ad grasses. Reentering a pine forest, the trail begins to gain elevation quickly, and passes streams and meadows before dropping into the large wetland surrounding the lake. View Copeland Falls, Calypso Cascades, and Ouzel Falls along the trail, as well as a few backcountry camping sites (permit required).
Difficulty
Moderate
Distance
6.8 miles
Estimated time
7 hours
Region
N/A
Nearby Parks Around Thunder Lake
Compare nearby parks around Thunder Lake when deciding whether to expand the route after this stop.
Nearby Points of Interest Around Thunder Lake
Use nearby POIs to quickly expand your options beyond Thunder Lake while the map context is still fresh.
0.0 mi away
Wild Basin Trailhead
The strenuous, 6-mile trail to Bluebird Lake begins at the Wild Basin Trailhead.
0.0 mi away
Wild Basin Trailhead
The strenuous, 6-mile trail to Bluebird Lake begins at the Wild Basin Trailhead.
0.0 mi away
Cascade Falls
This gorgeous trail leads through mixed evergreen forest marked by tall stands of lodgepole pines.
0.0 mi away
Ouzel Falls
Named for the small brown bird that plays in cold mountain lakes as it fishes for small insects.
0.1 mi away
Calypso Cascades
This pretty trail, named for the native Calypso orchid, a small, pink flower that blooms in mid-July.
