Missouri Lakes and Fancy Pass Loop (Holy Cross Wilderness)

Holy Cross Wilderness, White River National Forest, Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District (near Minturn)

The Missouri Lakes and Fancy Pass Loop climbs through the Holy Cross Wilderness near Minturn to a basin of alpine lakes, crosses two passes above 11,900 feet, and returns past Fancy Lake. The Colorado Mountain Club calls it a spectacular loop. At under 9 miles, it’s short enough for a single night, with time to explore.

Campfires are banned throughout the Missouri and Fancy Creek drainages, and storms build quickly on the passes.

The hike

A Forest Service trail sheet describes the Missouri Lakes Trail starting at 10,010 feet. At about 2.7 miles, a side trail leads left to the first lake, a short climb of about 100 feet. The main trail continues across the basin past several more lakes to the last one at about 3.5 miles, then switchbacks up to Missouri Pass, at 11,986 feet, at about 4 miles. From there, it drops down the other side to meet the Fancy Pass and Cross Creek trails at 4.4 miles. The trail sheet rates the route moderate to more difficult with moderate to high use.

AllTrails says the trailhead sits at the intersection of Missouri Creek Road and Fancy Creek Road, and that the trail crosses into the wilderness shortly after starting. 10Adventures describes dense pine woodlands before the lakes are revealed.

From the junction, the loop crosses Fancy Pass. The CMC puts it at 12,360 feet with exceptional views of the Sawatch Range. Its three-day itinerary describes a counterclockwise loop that crosses Fancy Creek on the “Zen Bridge,” passes a small, lush meadow at about mile 2.4, and then climbs steeply to Fancy Lake at 11,600 feet. The CMC says camping at Fancy Lake is rather limited but should fit about six or seven tents, while the Missouri Lakes have plenty of camping spots.

Explore With Alec, which hiked the loop clockwise, describes a relatively easy start, gaining about 1,500 feet over roughly four miles, and recommends the Missouri Lakes over Fancy Lake for camping. An AllTrails reviewer found few views until Lake Charles but plenty of camping options around the lake.

Weather shapes the day. The CMC’s loop plan calls for a very early start to avoid storms on Fancy and Missouri Passes. It also notes that roads to the trailhead are subject to seasonal closure.

The rules here are specific. The Forest Service order for the Holy Cross Wilderness requires a valid wilderness use permit for each camping group, prohibits camping within 100 feet of any lake, stream, or trail, and bans campfires within the Missouri Lakes and Fancy Creek Watershed. It also bans campfires above 11,000 feet anywhere in the wilderness. ProTrails says self-registration permits are available at the trailhead and backpackers must carry the completed form.

The order covers the Eagle-Holy Cross and Aspen-Sopris Ranger Districts of the White River National Forest and the Leadville Ranger District of the San Isabel National Forest. Explore With Alec notes campgrounds and plenty of dispersed camping along the entrance road for the night before.

The CMC’s three-day version extends the loop to Treasure Vault Lake, with an option to continue to Blodgett Lake for a four-day trip.

For another Colorado loop with two high passes, see the Four Pass Loop.

Tips

Self-register at the trailhead. A permit is required for each camping group.
No campfires. The Forest Service bans them in the Missouri Lakes and Fancy Creek Watershed.
Camp 100 feet from lakes, streams, and trails.
Start early. The CMC recommends an early start to avoid weather on the passes.
Check road status. Roads to the trailhead can close seasonally.

Camping

Camping is dispersed in the Holy Cross Wilderness with a free self-registration permit from the trailhead. The Forest Service order prohibits camping within 100 feet of any lake, stream, or trail, and campfires anywhere in the Missouri Lakes and Fancy Creek Watershed. Contact the Eagle-Holy Cross Ranger District in Minturn at (970) 827-5715 for current conditions.

Inside Intel: The Missouri Lakes basin is the backpackers’ choice. The CMC says there are plenty of camping spots around each lake, while Fancy Lake has room for only about six or seven tents. Explore With Alec, having camped on the loop, still recommends Missouri Lakes. One AllTrails reviewer camped about 2.3 miles in, just before the steep section, as a shorter first day.

Trail facts

Distance: About 8.7 to 8.8 miles
Route type: Loop, either direction
Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous. About 2,740 to 2,800 feet of total gain.
Elevation: Trailhead 10,010 feet; Missouri Pass 11,986; Fancy Pass about 12,360 to 12,390
Campsites: Dispersed; Missouri Lakes basin and Fancy Lake
Water: Lakes and creeks. Treat all water.
Permits: Free self-registration wilderness permit
Fires: Banned in the Missouri Lakes and Fancy Creek Watershed
Trailhead: Missouri Lakes Trailhead, at Missouri Creek Road and Fancy Creek Road
Last verified: October 2, 2026

The Lowdown

No campfires at Missouri Lakes:

Fires are banned in the Missouri and Fancy Creek watersheds, so your stove does all the cooking. See which stoves testers trust.

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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.