Trails / Colorado / Sangre de Cristo Mountains

Willow Lake (Sangre de Cristo Wilderness)

Sangre de Cristo Wilderness, Rio Grande National Forest (Willow Creek Trailhead, Crestone)

Willow Lake sits in a narrow bowl in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains above Crestone, with a waterfall pouring into its far end and two fourteeners, Kit Carson Mountain and Challenger Point, rising above. The trail climbs about 3,000 feet in roughly 5 miles from the edge of town, and the Transient Trekker recommends it as an overnight trip because of the steep final miles.

Camping isn’t allowed at the lake itself, only in a designated zone just below it.

The hike

The trailhead is just outside Crestone. Hiking Project gives the directions from the south: watch for the sign for Crestone, drive 11.4 miles to a junction, turn left into town, then follow a hard 2WD or easy 4WD road 2 miles to the Willow Creek trailhead. Regensburger Photography says the small lot holds about 30 cars, so be ready to park down the road on busy days. Rick Crandall puts the trailhead at about 8,850 feet.

The Transient Trekker says the trail forks after just 0.1 mile, with one branch to South Crestone Lake and the other to Willow Lake. Regensburger describes steady switchbacks through aspen and conifer forest, then views of Kit Carson Peak opening up. Hiking Project says you briefly leave the forest on a small hill at about 1.25 miles.

The trail follows Willow Creek. The Transient Trekker calls the last 1.5 miles of switchbacks especially strenuous. Regensburger says that after a pretty waterfall, the next half mile is the steepest part of the trail. A TripAdvisor reviewer describes raspberries along a stream crossing below the lake in August.

Near the top, the trail reaches the camping area. Regensburger describes a meadow below Willow Lake where camping is allowed, and notes that climbers use it as a base camp for Kit Carson and Challenger, so it can be crowded. The Transient Trekker says there’s a designated camping zone with several established sites just before the lake, and that camping is prohibited past it. It points to a waterfall near the end of the camping area as an easy water source. Hiking Project warns there are many side trails to campsites, so stay on the main trail.

At the lake, the TripAdvisor reviewer describes Willow Lake glowing like a sapphire, with another waterfall plunging about 150 feet through gray and rose-colored cliffs at its east end. The same reviewer points out the Crestone conglomerate, a rock formation famous in this range. Hiking Project says a trail continues around the left side of the lake and above the waterfall toward Kit Carson and Challenger.

AllTrails says Willow Lake collects the water draining the Obstruction Peak glacial trough, and puts the drive from Colorado Springs at about 175 miles, roughly 3.5 hours.

The fourteeners are a big draw. Wikipedia lists Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point among the Crestones, a cluster of high summits in the Sangre de Cristo Range. Outdoor Project calls the climb from the lake 2,100 feet in 1.5 miles of loose rock and dirt, and recommends an early start to beat afternoon thunderstorms.

For another Colorado camp beneath fourteeners, see Chicago Basin.

Tips

Camp in the designated zone. Sources say camping isn’t allowed at the lakeshore.
Plan for the steep finish. The last 1.5 miles of switchbacks are the hardest part.
Arrive early for parking. The lot holds about 30 cars.
Store food carefully. A reviewer reported a problem bear at the campsites.
Start summit attempts early. Outdoor Project warns of afternoon thunderstorms.

Camping

Camping is in a designated zone below Willow Lake. The Transient Trekker and Regensburger both say camping isn’t allowed along the lakeshore, and the Transient Trekker describes several established sites in the zone. Confirm current rules with the Rio Grande National Forest, since no Forest Service page was read for this page. Treat water from the creek or waterfall.

Inside Intel: Regensburger warns that the camping meadow can be crowded, since fourteener climbers use it as a base camp. The Transient Trekker points to a waterfall near the end of the camping area for easy water. A Hiking Project reviewer’s warning is worth heeding: a problem bear once wouldn’t leave people’s campsites alone, so keep food stored securely.

Trail facts

Distance: About 9 to 11 miles round trip
Route type: Out and back
Difficulty: Strenuous. About 2,800 to 3,000 feet of gain.
Elevation: Trailhead about 8,850 feet (Rick Crandall)
Campsites: Designated zone below the lake; no lakeshore camping
Water: Willow Creek and waterfalls. Treat all water.
Permits: None found
Trailhead: Willow Creek Trailhead, 2 miles past Crestone on a rough road
Last verified: October 2, 2026

The Lowdown

Base camp below Kit Carson:

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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.