TR: Twin Lakes Hike, Crested Butte
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Twin Lakes is one of the most spectacular hikes in the Crested Butte area. Only 6-miles round trip, the trail winds through meadows above tree line that are covered with wild flowers, past the north side of Teocalli, before ending at two of the most beautiful high alpine lakes I have ever seen. Hikers will likely see a few other people in the area, but due to difficult road access, the hike will never be crowded.
Access to the trail head is a bit difficult for some, located far up Brush Creek Road. The first portion of Brush Creek Road is paved for a little over a mile. Then, the road turns to dirt, but most passenger cars can travel another 5-miles or so to an unofficial campground. If you don’t have a high clearance 4-wheel drive car, park here and don’t venture further as the road gets difficult fast (without places to turn around), taking you straight to a rough stream crossing. From the “campground”, the trailhead is still another 6 miles on rough road. You will not be traveling fast by car – plan on about another 45 minutes. You will follow the signs toward Pearl Pass, but becareful not to go too far up the road! The trail head is not well marked. Around 5.5 miles, the road makes a slight right. Look for a few slabby flat rocks to the left side of the road, and a stream crossing to the left as well. The stream crossing is on a road that veers to the left off the main road. Once you cross this stream, you will be at the parking area for the Twin Lakes trail.
If you’re like me and get tired of driving on bumpy roads, there are a few places to park between the campground and the trail head. We opted to park at the site of an ATV road intersection 1.1 miles away from the true trail head. For those not equipped with a 4×4 car, consider using a bike. From the campground to the trail head is approximately 45 minutes to an hour by bike.
Enough about the logistics. Here’s some pictures to give you a better idea of what this beautiful valley is like!
Looking back down valley. Frank and our borrowed-dog Eddy.
Stopping to enjoy some of the wildflowers along the way is worth your while.
Monument flowers.
The trail climbs steeply toward this waterfall to the shelf above it. Then it mellows out a bit.
Once reaching the shelf, the views expand.
The north side of Teocalli – we’ve skied many of the couloirs seen in this picture.
Getting closer to the lakes!
Absolute beauty.
Fishermen like this area too.
The lake is so crystal clear you can see right through it, looking straight at the trout swimming around.
A waterfall separates the two lakes.
The lakes are “Eddy-approved” 🙂
Crested Butte’s Twin Lakes offer some of the most spectacular scenes in the area. The extra time needed to access the trail head is certainly worth your while. It is an instant favorite!
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