Buena Vista Colorado, Hike to Ptarmigan Lake (Best times to visit, trail info, and what to expect)

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Alright so you’re interested in checking out some good hiking trails in Colorado and are looking for a good hike to do for the day. The one thing about Colorado is there are a number of trails with Alpine Lakes. Well not too far from Downtown Buena Vista is Ptarmigan Lake, a doable day hike that isn’t too challenging and has a pretty cool alpine lake at the top that you can fish at, eat lunch, shoot photos, or just hang out at..

Considered part of the San Isabel National Forest, the drive to the trailhead is pretty incredible as you go from a desert alpine environment to more of a high alpine climate. What I liked about this hike was being able to trek through the forest at first and then as you got closer to the lake the views started to open up and you were surrounded by the Sawatch Mountains. Even though the hike was 6 miles round trip, the elevation gain and distance didn’t feel too extreme. I even saw families with kids hiking the trail. With that being said, in this post I’ll go over how to get to the trailhead, details of the trail, important hiking tips, and what to expect. Coool, lets gooo.

How to get to the Trailhead

The Trailhead is technically in Nathrop, about a 25 minute drive from downtown Buena Vista. To get there you’ll get on West Main Street which turns into HWY 306. You’ll take this all the way to the Trailhead which will be on your left. If you were to keep driving, the highway would turn into Cottonwood Pass. Below I’ve listed times and distances from major areas in Colorado.

Denver- 2 hours 45 minutes/149 miles

Leadville- 1 hour/49 miles

Summit County- 1 hour 49 minutes/82 miles

What is the parking like

The parking lot is pretty small, with not many designated spaces so I would get there either early in the morning or later in the Afternoon. However!, There is some parking off the side of the road as you head towards the main lot. If you need to use the restroom there is one in the parking lot.

What is so unique about this Trail

The drive alone to the trailhead makes this a unique hike from the start, but what I liked most was the alpine forests that you hike through to get to the lake, then once you get towards the lake, there’s streams, a pond, the lower lake, and views that look out at the Sawatch mountains. The other cool part is being able to look down and around at the upper alpine environment. The monsoon like summer this year with lots of rain, was an added bonus making the environment really green.

Trail Stats

Below I’ve listed a few trail stats for Ptarmigan Lake via All Trails. They provide reviews, maps, and a brief description of the trail. It’s also great if you are trying to find good hikes to do in an area you are unfamiliar with.

Distance: 6 miles/3.75 km

Time: 3-4 hours

Trail Type: Out and Back

Elevation Gain:1,469 feet/320 meters

Dogs Allowed? Yes

Restrooms at the Trailhead? Yes

Are there Wildflowers on this trail

In the summer there are wildflowers I would say from Mid June to Mid August

When is the Best time to Hike this trail

May through October is typically the best time to hike in Higher Alpine Environments in Colorado. With that being said there can still be snow on the trail in May as well as new snow on the trail in October. This is where reading the reviews on All Trails really helps with knowing what the current trail conditions are like.

The best time of day would either be early in the morning or later in the afternoon to grab a parking spot.

What is the trail like

This trail was pretty amazing and even though it’s 6 miles round trip I would rate the overall difficulty of the trail as moderate. The very first part of the hike is through Alpine woods with a slight break where it opens up and you’ll see views of the Sawatch Mountain Range to your left. This part is also a lil rocky, which is why it’s important to have good hiking footwear. Keep reading for tips on preparing for this hike.

You’ll continue through forest for another couple miles until the trail starts to open up again. There will be a pond on your right and a smaller Alpine Lake on the Left (lower Ptarmigan Lake), that are great places to take a break before you hike up to Ptarmigan Lake.

As you start to hike to the lake you’ll walk through some brush with a stream right to your left. This was one of my favorite parts of the hike because if you turn around, you can see Turner Peak off in the distance, a peak that sits above 13,000 feet. That’s the thing about Colorado, sooo many mountains above 10,000 feet or 3048 meters.

By this point you are a few switchbacks towards the lake. The lake sits at over 12,000 feet and as your approaching it, you’ll see Jones Mountain straight ahead. Once there, you’ll be able to see a trail that goes around about half of the lake. Along the trail will be a few stopping points where you can get right on the lake. You might even see a few people fishing while you’re up there. Hopefully you packed a lunch or snacks for taking a break and enjoying your surroundings!

Can you fish at this lake

Yep, just make sure to have a valid Colorado Fishing license. You can get one at any local Fly Fishing Shop or on the Colorado Parks and Wildlife website.

Any Camping nearby

There are campgrounds in Nathrop, Salida, as well as Buena Vista. You can book reservations ahead of time on Recreation.gov. Make sure to do this earlier in the summer or even winter for weekends as those will fill up quickly. I really liked Ruby Mountain Campground because it was right on the Arkansas River and overlooked Mountains such as Mt Princeton. The campsite was also pretty close to Downtown Buena Vista.

There’s also some backpacking camp spots close to Ptarmigan Lake, which you’ll be able to see on your hike. If you’re not into camping, downtown Buena Vista has some great VRBO rentals.

Any tips for hiking this Trail

• Pack out what you packed in. This means don’t leave any food trash or waste behind on the trail. If you need to use the restroom, there is one at the trailhead.

• Stay on the trail as best as possible. Do your best to stay on the hiking trail because it takes years for the surrounding environment to grow back, if damaged. At the top there are a number of places to sit down and have lunch or a snack close to the trail.

• Be respectful of Wildlife. You may encounter Wildlife when hiking in Colorado. You’d be surprised that I have to say this, but PLEASE to not get close or feed wild animals.

• Pack sunscreen and apply 15-30 minutes before going outside. The sun is intense in Colorado, even when it’s cloudy, make sure to pack this! I really like Sun Bum because it is none-greasy.

• Pack a Rain Jacket, Hiking boots, and warm layer. Weather can change on a dime in Colorado, regardless of what the weather channel is calling for. It’s important to always come prepared.

• Make sure to wear a good pair of hiking socks. Stay away from cotton! You'll want something that wicks moisture, has good cushioning, and keeps your feet dry. Smart Wool makes the best socks in the game, so I would recommend a pair of those.

• Pack a water bottle and stay hydrated, this trail is 6 miles round trip!

• Arrive Early and if possible hike the trail on a weekday, the parking area is small

• Weather sometimes pops up in the afternoon, be aware of this and don’t hang out at the lake for too long if you see dark clouds

And that’s a wrap on the Ptarmigan Lake Trail! Buena Vista and the surrounding area are what make Colorado so unique and fun to visit. Thanks for reading the blog and if you liked this post you can subscribe to our email newsletter below for more information on outdoor trips, hiking, ski resorts, and more. If you have any questions or have hiked this trail before and have information to add, leave a comment below. See you on the next post!

Best Hiking Trails in Crested Butte, The Scenic Teocalli Ridge Loop

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Crested Butte in the summer is one of the best places to explore different hiking trails. The area has everything from short scenic paths to ten mile plus day hikes with elevation gain that will take you to the top of some awesome overlook areas such as TeoCalli Ridge!. After getting a recommendation from a friend on this hike last minute, I decided to go for it. It wasn’t far from town, so I grabbed breakfast at a local bagel shop in town and then made my way towards the trailhead.

In this post I’ll be going over parking, how to get to the trailhead, details, best time of year to hike it, what makes this trail worth it, and what to expect!

How to get to the trailhead and where should we park

The trailhead is a little over 20 minutes from downtown Crested Butte and you want to end up on Brush Creek Road. You’ll Pass the Brush Creek Trailhead on the left, a more popular hiking destination and the road will turn into Forest Service-7738. These are dirt roads in which you’ll pass a farm and cattle ranch on the way to the trailhead! AWD is helpful, but not required to drive this road. If you do plan on camping in the area, you will need to have a high clearance vehicle with 4 X 4 to make it up the road to designated campsites FYI.

Distance from town: 8 Miles

Coordinates: 38.89614, -106.88932

For parking there will be a few spots at the start of the hike, however if you stay right on the service road and keep driving, you’ll come up on a much bigger parking lot. This is where the hike actually ends if you do the entire loop.

Where does the trail begin and how long is the hike

The trail will start on the dirt road, Forest Service-7738 essentially right where the map and trail signage are. This hike is going to be longer and a bit more challenging then some of the other more popular hikes in Crested Butte, so make sure to plan accordingly! It took me over 6 hours to complete with breaks and shooting photos along the way.

There’s also going to be some elevation gain on this trail, so be prepared to hike up hill a bit for the first half of the hike! It will be worth it though, the views on this hike are incredible on the first half of the trail. Below are some quick trail stas.

Trail type: Loop

Elevation Gain: 2,303:

Distance: 10.9 miles

Dogs Allowed: Yep, this is a more remote hike so if you plan on hiking without a leash, just keep in mind there is wildlife in the area such as moose, bears, and mountain lions.

What should we expect

This hike isn’t easy by any means so if you’re looking for something a little more chill check out the Snodgrass Trail or Lupine trail closer to town. Really, the challenging part is the distance. You’re hiking close to 11 Miles, so take breaks, drink lots of water, pack snacks and just enjoy the trail because it is a good one! Expect the views to be pretty amazing, especially when you get up on the ridge line.

What should we pack

Depends on the time of year, but I listed some items that I highly recommend

• Hiking Boots- You can get these at REI or your local outdoor

• Rain Jacket- Always pack one of these, especially on longer hikes!

• Outdoor Clothing- Try to stay away from anything cotton and stick to performance type clothing when hiking. Outdoor specific brands to look into would be
  Fjallraven, Patagonia, and The North Face.

• Sunscreen- Apply this ahead of time or keep a sunstick on you to reapply throughout the hike if necessary.

• Extra Water

Best time of the summer for Wildflowers

I hiked this trail the second week of July and I feel like that was the last great week of catching the Wildflowers. However, it depends on the year and the start of summer was extremely dry. On average the flowers start to bloom in June and peak at the end of June through early July.

What are some trail details

You’ll start right next to the trailhead sign which is a clockwise route to take. Take in the views as you make your way along the trail. Once at the top of the Forest Service Road, you will have to cross part of the river. This is where having a pre-downloaded map on AllTrails will be helpful. You can either take your shoes/socks off or just trek through the river with your hiking boots on.

Once your across the river, the trail will take you through a small patch of Aspen Trees. This part of the trail is pretty flat, so try to enjoy it!

Eventually you will arrive at the trail sign Teocalli Mountain TR no. 554. The elevation gain starts to kicks in here and you will be hiking across the Ridge with Teocalli Mountain to the left!

The end of Teocalli ridge is one of the best views on the hike in my opinion, so grab a few pictures and take in the view. It overlooks the valley area along with the streams and river below.

The second half of the hike will be mostly through pine trees with no views until you get to almost the end of the hike. As you descend your way down through Aspen trees, be cautious of Mountain Bikers and Dirt Bike Riders! This trail is great for either of those activities.

The end of the hike is nice when it’s wildflower season as you will run into an entire mountainside full of them. As you make your way back to the parking lot, you will have to cross the river one last time to stay on trail.

When is the best time of year to hike Teocalli Ridge

This trail is good, depending on snowfall, from Mid May through October with the best times being early July for Wildflowers and Late September for the Fall colors.

You’ll probably feel pretty accomplished after hiking this trail so pat yourself on the back if you hiked the entire trail. Looking for other outdoor recreation in Colorado? Check out the small town of Buena Vista, with rafting, hiking, and even River Surfing. It is one of my favorite places in Colorado to explore.