Chihuahua Lake Colorado – A Sapphire Mountain Lake
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Hiking to alpine lakes is our favorite hobby—we’ve seen A LOT of alpine lakes in the Rocky Mountains over the years.
But Chihuahua Lake stands out as one of the most stunning lakes in the United States. It’s a true high alpine hidden gem tucked deep in the mountains near Keystone and Breckenridge.
The lake glows a deep sapphire blue that is unlike anything else in the area. The hike is full of adventure with multiple water crossings, summer wildflowers, and views that get better as you climb.
And the best part? This trail is so lightly trafficked that we only saw a couple of people throughout the entire day.
This trail checks all the boxes if you’re looking for beauty, solitude, and a challenge.
Chihuahua Lake Trail Stats
View on AllTrails
Distance: 7.4 miles round-trip
Elevation Gain: 1,902 ft.
Difficulty: moderately strenuous
Features: wildflowers, alpine lake, mountain views
Trailhead Coordinates: 39.600484, -105.838183
Bathroom at trailhead? No
Phone service? No
What to Pack for Hiking in Colorado
Colorado weather loves surprises—sunny one minute, hail the next. Here are the must-have items we never hit the trail without:
- A rain jacket – Afternoon thunderstorms are basically a guarantee. The Patagonia Torrentshell 3L is lightweight, packable, and actually waterproof.
- Actual hiking boots or trail runners – Hiking boots are awesome for support and waterproofing, but we love the lightweight breathability of trail runners on long hikes. Whatever you do, just PLEASE don’t wear regular sneakers—your feet will hate you.
- Hiking pants (NOT jeans) – Colorado trails are full of scree, mud, and surprise rain. Hiking pants are durable, quick‑drying, and far better than denim (looking at you, Texans).
- Layers, layers, layers – Temps swing fast at high elevation. Pair a breathable Capilene® Cool Daily Shirt with a warm Nano Puff Jacket and you’ll have everything you need.
- Trekking poles – Save your knees on steep climbs and give yourself extra balance on rocky sections. These ones from REI are super durable, lightweight, and WAY better than that crap on Amazon.
- Plenty of water – Dehydration sneaks up quickly at high altitude. We love our Osprey Daylite Pack. It’s perfect size to fit a couple layers, and everything you need for a day on trail
- Snacks with actual calories – Trail mix, jerky, or bars—don’t underestimate how much energy hiking at 10,000 ft burns.
- Sun protection – A hat + sunglasses + high‑SPF sunscreen will keep you protected.
- Navigation tools – Download offline maps with AllTrails or carry a GPS device like the Garmin inReach Mini 2.
- First aid kit – Even a small one saves the day for blisters, scrapes, or altitude headaches.
Colorado hikes are incredible—but only if you’re prepared. Trust us, a good rain jacket (and pants that aren’t denim) have saved us more times than we can count!
Getting There
Coming from Denver, take I-70 westbound until exit 205. Take the exit, then turn left at the light onto US-6. Continue on US-6 through Keystone and at the fork for Loveland Pass, keep right towards Montezuma.
Drive on Montezuma Road for about 4 miles, then take a left onto County Road 260 / Peru Creek Road. Continue for about 2 miles on this unpaved road. It’s easy enough that most vehicles should be able to make it to the trailhead, but sedans with lower clearance may need to take it a little slower.
The trailhead is not clearly marked, so it would be helpful to navigate using All Trails driving directions or enter the trailhead coordinates from above into Google Maps. You’ll know you’re there when you see a small parking area on the right, directly across from a 4×4 road (FSR 263.1) going up to the left.
If you have a 4×4 vehicle, technically you can continue up this road to save yourself some mileage, but we were not able to continue because the road was not wide enough for our 4Runner. Maybe a small jeep, SxS, or 4-wheeler would be better.
The road looked to be passable for average 4×4’s but we were more concerned about some serious racing stripes from thick brush on each side. So we opted to walk.
The Hike – Chihuahua Lake
Whether you’re on foot or driving, continue up the rocky and steep 4×4 road. You’ll pass through pine forest, aspens, and massive rock slide areas with huge boulders.
There are several creek crossings, some of which are larger and more difficult than others. But all are very doable. Hiking poles will help with balance during creek crossings as you hop across the rocks sticking out of the water.
With 1,902 feet of elevation gain, this trail is obviously quite uphill. It varies between steep portions that test your cardio at altitude and areas that are flatter, so you can take a breather.
Two miles in, you’ll reach the official trailhead where you would park if you drove this portion. There’s a sign marking Chihuahua Trail #78.
The trail from here gets thinner and more rocky, becoming pretty steep after a slight left curve in the route. Once you climb this more difficult section, it evens out as you cross another open meadow, but this one is above tree line.
We were surrounded by the rocky peaks of Lenawee Peak, Ruby Mountain, and Grizzly Peak (13ers), as well as Grays and Torreys (14ers). It’s basically an amphitheater of beautiful mountains—don’t forget to look up and around!
At around 3 miles in, you’ll begin the final ascent up to the lake, which is the most difficult part of the hike. It’s pretty steep with loose rocks. You may even need to use your hands for stability.
The lake is at about 3.6 miles in, so thankfully, this final ascent is fairly short. Once you summit, you’ll descend a small hill down to the lakeshore.
The Lake
The shoreline around Chihuahua Lake is super rocky, which makes it easy to walk around the lake. We started by heading towards the right, where Derek was excited to fish a deep hole. And it was a success!
Then we retraced our steps and followed the shoreline to the outlet. This walk gave us wonderful views of the bright sapphire water and some unique wildflowers near the streams leaving the lake.
We walked and sat around for what felt like hours, soaking in the sunshine and beautiful views before heading back downhill.
The Verdict
Chihuahua Lake in Colorado is one of our favorite alpine lakes, and it’s certainly on the list of best hikes near Breckenridge.
The color rivals that of alpine lakes in the southern mountains like Island Lake & Columbine Lake, but it’s located in Summit County, less than 2 hours from Denver.
We immediately loved Chihuahua Lake, and we’re 100% sure you will too!
Pro tips: It’s pretty windy up there, so a wind breaker and sweater are useful, even on warm summer days. Bring a snack or lunch and enjoy your time at the lake, keeping in mind that you should be back below tree line by early afternoon.
Looking for other nearby hikes? Check out Grays Lake.
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These places will not be gems anymore if you continue to publish their names. Sharing stories and photos is fantastic, but there’s no need to say the name of the lake. We used to come here all the time and had the same experience you shared. We went yesterday and there were at least 80 people on the trail.
Thanks for your comment. I totally get how disappointing it is to revisit a place you love and find it more crowded than before. That shift can really change the experience, and I’m sorry your day didn’t feel as peaceful as you remembered.
For starters, don’t hike on weekends. Even we had a few people while we were there on a Tuesday morning. Midweek hikes tend to bring back that quiet, magic feeling we’re all chasing.
And I hear you—if it feels like we’re spoiling secret places, that’s definitely not our intention. We try to keep things as neutral and thoughtful as possible. But with a trail that has over 1,100 reviews on AllTrails, it’s not exactly flying under the radar anymore. That said, we absolutely don’t share places that are truly off-the-map or still under-the-radar gems. Some things are better left unposted.
Ultimately, we believe public lands are meant to be enjoyed by anyone who shares a love for wild places. The more people who connect with them, the more people who want to protect them. It’s a tough balance, but we do our best to honor both sides.
Hope your next hike feels a bit more like the place you remember.