Blue Lakes (Mount Sneffels Wilderness)

Mount Sneffels Wilderness, Uncompahgre National Forest, Ouray Ranger District (East Dallas Creek, near Ridgway)

“The trail to Blue Lakes in the Mount Sneffels Wilderness” by John Todesco, U.S. Geological Survey , Public domain · Source · Cropped for the web

The Blue Lakes are three lakes in a glacial basin below Mount Sneffels in the San Juan Mountains, between Ridgway and Telluride. The San Juan Mountains Association calls the Blue Lakes Trail one of the most popular alpine lake destinations in all of Colorado. The trail climbs about 3.2 miles to Lower Blue Lake, where camping is allowed, and continues to the middle and upper lakes, where it isn’t.

That popularity has brought strict new rules, and they’re still changing.

The hike

The trailhead is at the end of County Road 7. Colorado 13ers gives the directions: from Ridgway, take Colorado 62 west about 5.5 miles to County Road 7, then drive 9 miles along East Dallas Creek to the trailhead at about 9,350 feet. It notes that most of the land along the road is private.

SJMA says the trail climbs through spruce-fir forest and reaches the Mount Sneffels Wilderness boundary at about 1.4 miles, where wilderness regulations apply. Hiking Project describes an easy start, then a steady climb up switchbacks most of the way to the lower lake, with a river crossing after the wilderness boundary.

SJMA says the trail reaches Lower Blue Lake at about 3.2 miles, where fishing for cutthroat trout can be good. Hiking Project puts the lower lake at about 10,900 feet and describes a number of designated campsites there.

gjhikes.com puts the wilderness boundary at about 1.6 miles and lists Upper Blue Lake at 9 miles round trip and Blue Lakes Pass at 11.4. Colorado 13ers notes an open field with some primitive camping just before the trailhead.

The middle and upper lakes are for day hikes. gjhikes.com describes the trail crossing a log bridge at Lower Blue Lake and climbing steeply to the other lakes, with a creek to wade on the way. It calls Middle Blue Lake a grassy bowl surrounded by jagged rocks. Hiking Project says the view from Middle Blue Lake may be the best of the three. Beyond Upper Blue Lake, the trail climbs to Blue Lakes Pass at about 13,000 feet and drops into Yankee Boy Basin.

The rules are the key planning item. The Forest Service order for the Mount Sneffels Wilderness prohibits camping at Middle and Upper Blue Lakes, limits overnight groups to six people, limits stays to two consecutive nights, and bans camping within 100 feet of any trail or water in the East Dallas Creek area. AllTrails’ 2026 note adds that human waste must be packed out and bear-resistant food storage is required. SJMA says campfires are prohibited in the Blue Lakes–Dallas Creek drainage.

A 2023 news report described the Forest Service’s plan for the area, including a first-of-its-kind permit for day use and overnight camping, a ban on camping above treeline, and reducing the campsites at Lower Blue Lake from 144 to four. SJMA describes designated campsites being built around Lower Blue Lake for a permit system planned for 2026.

The Forest Service says Mount Sneffels Wilderness covers 16,587 acres, with elevations from 9,600 feet to 14,150 feet at Mount Sneffels. It recommends avoiding Blue Lakes and Mount Sneffels on weekends and holidays.

For another San Juan Mountains trip, see Chicago Basin.

Tips

Confirm current rules first. The permit and campsite system has been changing.
Camp only at Lower Blue Lake. Camping is prohibited at Middle and Upper Blue Lakes.
Keep groups to six. That’s the overnight limit in the East Dallas Creek area.
No campfires. Prohibited in the drainage.
Avoid weekends. The Forest Service recommends weekdays.

Camping

Under the Forest Service order, camping in the East Dallas Creek area is limited to two consecutive nights, overnight groups to six people, and no camping is allowed at Middle or Upper Blue Lakes or within 100 feet of trails and water. AllTrails’ 2026 note says human waste must be packed out and bear-resistant food storage is required. Contact the Ouray Ranger District for the current permit and campsite system.

Inside Intel: The Adventure Addicts highly recommend camping at the lower lake, which they found the most scenic of the three, and say having fewer miles to cover left more time to enjoy the lake. Under current rules, the lower lake is also the only place in the basin you can camp. AllTrails’ 2026 note warns that camping space there is first come, first served and very limited, so have a backup plan.

Trail facts

Distance: About 7 miles round trip to Lower Blue Lake
Route type: Out and back
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous
Elevation: Trailhead about 9,350 feet; Lower Blue Lake about 10,900 feet
Campsites: Lower Blue Lake only (limited; rules changing)
Water: Lakes and East Dallas Creek. Treat all water.
Permits: Check current status (new system planned)
Group size: 6 overnight
Fires: Prohibited
Trailhead: Blue Lakes Trailhead, end of County Road 7 off Colorado 62, near Ridgway
Last verified: October 2, 2026

The Lowdown

Camp at Lower Blue Lake:

A short but steep climb to one of Colorado's most popular lakes ends with a night worth a good pad. See which pads testers recommend.

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Where this comes from

This page draws on the sources below, along with other guides and trip reports. Links go to the original pages.

Before you go: This page is based on published trail guides, trip reports, and reviews, along with official park and agency information where we could find it. It’s meant to help backpackers discover new trails, not to replace current, official information. Conditions, closures, permits, campsites, and water sources change, and some details here may be out of date or wrong. Confirm everything with the managing agency and check current conditions before you head out, and don’t rely on this page alone for safety or navigation. Backcountry travel involves risk.