Baldwin Lake is a small alpine lake in the southern Sawatch Range. It sits in a basin at 12,100 feet (3,688 m) nestled below two thirteeners – Cronin Peak and Grizzly Mountain – that provide a truly awe-inspiring backdrop and makes the “slog” up the road worth it.

THE FACTS:

• Elevation at lake: 12,100 feet (3,688 m)
• Elevation gain: 2,684 feet (818 m)
• Miles: 10.8 (17.3 km)

NEED TO KNOW: I get it. The blog is too long. Here are the important things I said:

• This is not a trail. It’s a 4WD road.
• The road WILL get stupid busy on weekends and holidays with OHVs, especially the side-by-sides. I highly suggest hiking this at off-peak times.
• If you are a runner, this is a fantastic training ground for uphill running.
• Despite the road hike, it’s worth it. On a classic Colorado bluebird day, it’s always worth it.

THE TRAIL:

Not a trail. This is a 4-wheel drive road all the way. Back in the day, I would avoid any “trail” that wasn’t single track. Hucking it up a road was not an option. Luckily, I have matured, and now I just want to see all the mountain things I haven’t seen yet, and I will gladly take a dirt road to get there. I also hiked this a couple years back to the summit of Antero, and getting to Baldwin Lake had been on my mind ever since.

The first couple of miles on the road provide welcome shade, and you are really just getting your heart warmed up. For my runners out there – if you aren’t packing a lot, this road is pretty runnable. It’s a great training ground for uphill road running.

The junction for Mount Antero and Baldwin Lake is the first taste of views you get. This little corner is gorgeous. Stay to the right on FR 277, Baldwin Creek. Obvious.

The next ~2.5 miles up to the lake is fun. The 4-wheel drive road seems more like a double-track, and the Cronin Peak Ridgeline is a beautiful view.

There is a ~.25 mile section that travels through a boulder field. Absolutely stunning section. Just take care to listen for falling rock through this section, and remember it for the way back. If you get caught too late in the day and the thunderstorms roll in, you don’t want to be stuck on this section.

Baldwin Lake! It’s relatively small, and the backdrop of the ridgeline from Grizzly Mountain over to Mount Mamma is stunning. I was fortunate enough to be alone up there, but as I mentioned earlier, the side-by-sides were making their way up when I was running down, so I think I got lucky.

Enjoy this beautiful area and head back the same way you came.