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!

Favorite Trails near Salida Colorado, Hiking to the Tenderfoot Hill Tower and Loop

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After discovering river surfing in Salida Colorado, I started to take trips to Chaffee County in the summer and this past summer I ended up spending some time in Salida, not just river surfing, but exploring a lot of the outdoor recreation this area has to offer. The actual town reminds me of something out of the 1960’s as it has an old fashion feel to it, with brick buildings, small shops, and even a revamped drug store that sells ice cream. It’s a more quiet town which is why I like to visit the area so much in the summer. If you love the outdoors especially river activities, Salida is one of the best, if not the best places in the state for that kind of outdoor passion.

Right in town is an awesome trail that you can either loop it or just hike up to the watch tower and back down into town. I decided to hike the entire loop starting in the afternoon and was racing the clock towards the end as the sun was going down. Needless to say I was able to get back to the parking lot before dark and really enjoyed this trail for how different it was compared to a lot of the hikes I’ve done in Colorado.

In this post I’ll be going over parking details, more specific trail information, what to expect, and lastly what you should pack. Cool lets do this!

Where is Salida

Salida is located in Chaffee county right next to Buena Vista and South West of Denver. The Arkansas River runs right through the town and you’re also not far from the 14,000 foot plus collegiate peaks such as Mount Princeton, Yale, and Harvard.

Where is the Trailhead and where should we park

What’s cool about this trailhead is it is actually right in town. Close to the Boathouse restaurant and Scout River Wave there is a free parking lot. The trailhead will be across an old set of railroad tracks. If you plan on hiking the entire loop I would highly recommend downloading the map ahead of time on Alltrails, as there are number of cross points where you could go left or right and it can be confusing.

Trailhead Coordinates: 38.53796, -105.98974

What to Pack

Depends on the time of year, but a few things that you should have with you on this trail are good hiking footwear/hiking socks (No Cotton!), a rain jacket, some kind of layer (even in the summer), and water/snacks. Hiking footwear can be found either at a local REI store, local outdoor gear shop, or online. Just keep in mind that you are in the mountains and weather shows up out of no where sometimes!

Lastly, don’t forget to apply sunscreen at least 15 minutes before your hike. Because you are at a higher altitude the sun is more intense.

What should we expect and is this trail difficult

It’s not a difficult trail, but there are a lot of different turns you need to make in order to stay on the loop which in my opinion made it a more challenging hike. T

Trail Stats

Distance: 5.9 Miles

Elevation Gain: 1,135 feet

Time: Depends, but around 3-3.5 hours

Best time of year to hike this trail

The one awesome thing about Salida vs other higher elevation mountain towns is the weather tends to stay warmer longer. I would say the best time to hike this trail is from April-October and possibly even the winter if there isn’t too much snow.

Trail Specifics

Ok so once you cross the train tracks you’ll take a left onto the Frontside Trail and start making the ascent towards the watch tower. Keep in mind that there is a series of trails in this S Mountain area that are also bike trails, so make sure to watch out for bikers! The first part of this trail is pretty amazing because it will overlook downtown Salida along with the Arkansas River.

From the Frontside Trail you’ll then take a right onto the Burnpile Trail and then a right onto Spiral Dr. Spiral Dr. will be more like a road, stay on this to go up to the watchtower. If you don’t feel like doing the entire loop, honestly this is still a fun easy part of the trail worth checking out if you are short on time and need to turn around and head back.

The tower has a set of concrete stairs to walk up and then has views of the town from the highest point. Walk into the tower and you will also get views of the surrounding Chaffee County landscape, which is mix between large granite rocks and Alpine meadows.

Once you walk back down the tower you’ll want to continue onward to the Lil Rattler Trail!. As you continue to hike you’ll end up on the Pano Trail, At one point you can hike up to a small overlook area on the Pano trail. This is the part of the trail that can get somewhat confusing and having a pre-downloaded map from AllTrails will be very helpful!

My favorite part of this trail was the topography. There’s a number of trees throughout the trail called Pinyon Pines and they have this like desert look to them. As you hike the loop you’ll loose views of the town and only be surrounded by the Alpine hills and boulders.

From the Pano Trail you’ll then take right onto the Dudes Abide trail and then another right shortly after onto the Pauli Trail.

As you start to make your way towards the second half of the trail you’ll get those awesome views of the town and the mountains behind the town again. The mountains in the background are Poncha Mountain (10,135 ft), Methodist Mountain (11,690 ft), and Simmons Peak (12,038 ft). The second half of the trail will also be downhill, so again, watch out for downhill mountain bikers.

The last part of this loop is the Hooligan trail to Upper and Lower Sand Dune trails. As you descend the last part of the trail watch your step as there will be a couple areas that you need step down (kind of like a stair). I liked the very end of this hike because it felt like you were in a canyon at one point with rock walls on each side of you. If you hiked this trail in the afternoon enjoy the sunset as you head towards the parking area.

Looking for other hikes in the Salida area? Check out the Waterdog Lakes trail up near Monarch Pass! If you have any questions or comments on this trail, drop them below. Thanks for checking out the blog and I’ll see you on the next post.