Lower and Upper Chicago Lake

Idaho Springs, Colorado

4.5/5

based on 4 reviews

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Details

Distance

9.22 miles

Elevation Gain

2270 ft

Route Type

Out-and-Back

Description

Added by Ryan Mckinney

The trial to Lower and Upper Chicago Lake offers up amazing views of Mount Evans Wilderness. You'll see moose, mountain goats, elk, and big horn sheep.

From the parking lot, stay to the right of Echo Lake and you will run into the Chicago Lakes Trailhead. Follow the switchbacks down and across Chicago Creek. After crossing the creek, follow the sign indicating that the trail follows the dirt road and hang a left; from here, you'll reach the Idaho Springs Reservoir is a little over 1.5 miles. Continue past the reservoir and past the cabins to reach the Mount Evans Wilderness Area Boundary, and shortly after you will pass through the reservoir fire area that burned more than 400 acres in 1978.

You'll reach Lower Chicago Lake in just 3.95 miles. To get to the Upper Chicago Lake, head back to the Chicago Lakes Trail and continue another mile. This is a popular breeding area for big horn sheep and mountain goats in the late spring and early summer, so keep an eye out for them on the valley walls.

The weather in the Mount Evans Wilderness can change rapidly; be prepared for high winds, snow, rain, hail, and intense sunlight. Make sure you get an early start to avoid storms (and the crowds).

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Features

Camping

Photography

Backpacking

Hiking

Dog Friendly

Easy Parking

Family Friendly

Forest

Groups

Lake

Scenic

Wildflowers

Reviews

Kaitlyn Janak

Lower and Upper Chicago Lake

12/04/17

10/10 would recommend this hike to anyone. Thought I was going to die but the view is so worth it. Went in December and the Lakes were totally frozen over which was magical. Definitely need yak tracks or spikes if you do it in winter as the trail is fairly icy!

5.0

Trip Starkey

Lower and Upper Chicago Lake

07/31/17

This is a great day hike! Relatively close to Denver. Not too difficult, not too easy. Get a good, early start to avoid any potential bad weather. Make sure to bring water & a little snack. Really fun, great views at the top!

5.0

Stefano Prezioso

Lower and Upper Chicago Lake

08/05/15

Great hike with lots of beautiful places to camp near both Lower and Upper Chicago Lakes. Upper Chicago Lake is above treeline, and can get very windy. There is tree cover just below Upper Chicago Lake with good views over Lower Chicago Lake. Great as a day hike, or relaxed overnight trip.

4.0

Explorer

Johnathan .

Explorer

Lower and Upper Chicago Lake

02/20/15

The trail can be extremely muddy and boggy during the spring, with the last push up to the upper lake covered in ice and snow. The trail is usually pretty doable by Independence Day

4.0

Leave No Trace

Always practice Leave No Trace ethics on your adventures and follow local regulations. Please explore responsibly!

Nearby

Explore Echo Lake Park

Located at the base of Mt. Evans Road, Echo Lake sits next to Squaw Pass Road, providing a great jumping-off point for numerous adventures. The park serves as a trailhead for hiking or snowshoeing into the Mount Evans Wilderness, offers picnic areas, and includes a nearby campground with 17 sites. The area has dark night skies for photographing the Milky Way, and when the lake is frozen inter...

Hike to Idaho Springs Reservoir

This is a great hiking area an hour outside of Denver, Colorado. It's still easily accessible in the winter and most of the time it can be hiked without snowshoes. Starting at the Echo Lake parking lot, hike around the right side of the lake until you reach a fork in the trail. Follow the path on your right until it leads you down into the valley and across the creek. Shortly after the crossing...

Hike the Resthouse/Lincoln Lake Trail

While the Mt. Evans Wilderness never has a shortage of visitors, thanks to its proximity to Denver, it is possible to find a more private hike if you know where to look. Lincoln Lake Trail, accessible from Echo Lake year-round, is not as glamorous as its sister trail, Chicago Lakes, but is a wonderfully private and scenic trail favored by backpackers, horseback riders, snowshoers, and skiers.De...

Photograph Ancient Bristlecone Pines on Mt. Goliath

On the way to the summit of Mt. Evans sits a small 160 acre preserve of some of the world's oldest living trees. The Mount Goliath Natural Area protects a rare site of Bristlecone Pines that make excellent photographic subjects.Immediately after parking you're surrounded by a miniature forest full of gnarly twisted shapes. While there are many interesting trees close to the small visitor center...

Hike to Hell's Hole

The name is uninviting, but Hell’s Hole is a scenic, shallow basin in the Mount Evans Wilderness near Idaho Springs. Starting elevation is about 9500 feet. Right after the trailhead, you pass through a few camping sites in the Chicago Creek Picnic Area. About five minutes into the hike is the permit station. Permits are free, but registration is required for Mount Evans Wilderness. You’ll hike ...

Mount Evans and Mount Spalding Loop

Mount Evans is a simple, yet drop dead gorgeous 14er. That being said, no 14er is easy by any means. However as far as 14er's go, this is a cake walk. Coming in at a rating of class 2, there tends to be some scrambling but nothing a well balanced person can't handle. To begin this adventure, we drove up to the Summit Lake parking lot at around 5am. There is a $5 fee for parking but that can be...

Lower and Upper Chicago Lake

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Leave No Trace

Nearby

Explore Echo Lake Park

Hike to Idaho Springs Reservoir

Hike the Resthouse/Lincoln Lake Trail

Photograph Ancient Bristlecone Pines on Mt. Goliath

Hike to Hell's Hole

Mount Evans and Mount Spalding Loop

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