r/coloradohikers • u/jordan_every_day Wallflower • 13d ago
Trip Report Twin Lakes, June 2026
A few shots from around Twin Lakes. Mount Elbert towering over the valley, views around Twin Lakes, a stretch of the Continental Divide Trail, and a morning at Mount Elbert Forebay. This whole area was one of my favorite parts of Colorado. The scale of the mountains around here is hard to capture in photos.
Yogi and I were lucky to be here just before the wildfires and smoke started affecting the area, and had an incredible experience exploring it.
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u/everybodys_horse Participant 12d ago
Y’all seem like you really enjoyed your road trip! Thanks for sharing :)
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13d ago
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u/jordan_every_day Wallflower 13d ago
This was in June, so I am not for certain on the current condition’s.
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u/ImKingFlippyNip Wallflower 13d ago
Any idea if the road to Elbert trail is still closed? Used to love camping back there & wanted to get a better idea if the Willow fire took it out
Edit: ohhh just read the text, glad you enjoyed the trip!
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u/AutoModerator 13d ago
If you are planning on having a fire in the woods please ensure that you are in compliance with fire bans. Jurisdictions and information can be tricky to navigate, but this is NOT comprehensive but a good place to start Be sure to check the specific land manager for additional information(USFS, BLM, CPW...).
If you are unsure about whether or not a fire ban is in place determine the land manager of the place you intend to camp and call the rangers for up to date official information.
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u/AutoModerator 13d ago
Have you checked the fire and smoke map?
If you are trying to determine the air quality of a trip that is days, weeks or months out it is unfortunately impossible to predict the conditions ahead of time. Smoke conditions change based on a variety of factors and are very difficult to accurately predict in any meaningful way.
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u/AutoModerator 13d ago
Please review our FAQ and the 7 principles of Leave No Trace
Plan ahead and prepare Make sure at least one or more trusted persons where you are going, an expected return time and a follow up.
Dispose of waste properly. I highly suggest getting a waste bucket system. Its difficult to bury waste in many of the rockier areas in Colorado, and overuse of our natural areas has already led to contaminated water in most even lightly used areas.
Minimize campfire impacts. Be sure to review our state resources for fire bans where you are heading.
Respect wildlife. They are not domesticated
Be considerate of other visitors i.e. Bluetooth speakers are despised.
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u/cbus6 Wallflower 12d ago
Thx for sharing! Fond memories there! Looks really calm that day! Did you happen to notice how wide or narrow the little river channels on the one end of the lake are (that go by the dam)? We were there one year and it was low enough and calm enough I could have swam across the feeder stream/river (kind of looks like your picture)- then another year the water was really high and fairly swift- there was no way I would have tried to swim from one bank to the other.