Backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop

Backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop is a trip full of incredible scenery, a perfect mix of gorgeous high elevation lakes and stunning vistas from the two passes. Even the stretches of trail in between these features are beautiful and wild. The fact that it is a true loop and the two trailheads are literally right next to each other made this backpacking trip even better! When we packed up for our overnight backpacking trip, we had no idea we would be backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop… But everything worked out and it ended up being an amazing experience!

We had our friend Laura fly out to visit us in Colorado and we were so excited to have someone to share some of these beautiful adventures with! During her visit we were planning on being based off of Halfmoon Creek Road near Leadville. Having to narrow it down to just one backpacking trip, I wanted to make sure it was perfect!

So I looked and looked and decided on checking out Fall Creek Trail in the Holy Cross Wilderness. I noticed that there were a lot of lakes to check out and a lot of little side adventures we could do! And because she was flying in from Southern California, I had to keep the elevation in mind. She finally arrived and the next day we packed up for a two night backpacking adventure!

Change of Plans…

We drove about an hour north towards Halfmoon Campground/Trailhead and there was a closed gate. And a Forest Service Truck. And a Ranger. And a sign that said road closed. Noooo!

Luckily, I had done so much research looking for an awesome adventure that I quickly pulled another option out of my hat. So we headed back to Homestake Road towards the trailheads for backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop! Even though this loop is only about 9 miles, we still stayed out for the two nights we had planned. So we had a nice, chill time on this backpacking trip with stunning scenery and great vibes making it a perfect choice of adventure! Although it seems any time spent in the wilderness is perfect.

Quick Info for Backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop

Directions: From Leadville, follow US-24 W for 18.4 miles. Then turn left onto Homestake Reservoir Road and continue another 7.8 miles. Turn right onto Missouri Creek Road and follow it for 2.2 miles before making the final right turn onto Forest Road 727 into the parking area.

Difficulty: Moderate

Total Distance: 9 miles

Itinerary Breakdown

Day 1: Missouri Pass Trailhead to our camp spot on Upper Missouri Lake — 3.5 miles

Day 2: Our campspot at Upper Missouri Lake to our campspot near Fancy Lake (+ a scramble up the peak W of Fancy Pass) — 3 miles

Day 3: Our campspot near Fancy Lake down to Fancy Lake Trailhead –2.5 miles

Our Experience Backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop

Day One

As I mentioned above, we packed up for our two night adventure on Elk Creek Trail before having to scramble for a different option. So by the time we started backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop, it was nearly 6 pm! Definitely the latest that we’ve ever started a backpacking trip. But luckily, this loop is rather short and two nights is more that enough time to complete it.

Once we reached the two trailheads, we decided to begin backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop clockwise. This made it so we’d have eaten some of our food before we reached either of the two passes (meaning slightly lighter packs).

Hitting the Trail

We finally began hiking from the Missouri Pass Trailhead! Initially, the trail follows an old road up through the trees. It gets pretty steep! At one point we noticed a trail branching off the road and we were unsure if we were supposed to remain on the road… We remained on the road and after the steep climb, we spotted a waterfall and reached a small reservoir. It was pretty, but definitely had lots of man made materials about.

Shortly after the reservoir, we finally entered the Holy Cross Wilderness Boundary! From here, the trail turns into a single track through the woods. We kept our eyes peeled for wildlife since we had gotten such a late start and were hiking near dusk. The trail crossed two beautiful water crossings and continued to climb.

Next, there was a break in the woods and the views opened up looking out into a beautiful lush meadow area. The lighting was stunning as we continued past the meadow.

From here, the trail met back up with the water and we climbed alongside it. Then the views opened up again because of how many trees were down! We wandered through this area that was severely affected by an avalanche. It was an interesting sight to see up close.

After traversing all the downed trees, the path became increasingly beautiful as we neared the basin. The path was rocky yet lush and colorful. And the towering mountains ahead we getting nearer!

Reaching Missouri Lakes

Before we knew it, we had reached Lower Missouri Lake! Lower Missouri Lake was huge! And absolutely beautiful. The backdrop to this gorgeous alpine lake was dramatic and really added to the beauty of the scene.

We decided to continue on to the next lake. Not too much further and then we reached Upper Missouri Lake. And it too was just stunning. Looked like a great place to call home for the night! We spent a little bit of time getting acquainted with the shoreline before finding our perfect spot to set up camp 🙂 Just in time, as dark was creeping in.

Here we experienced the best star gazing on our backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop. The moon stayed away, keeping the sky nice and dark but the stars and milky way were brilliant. And to top it off, the night was so calm that we were able to see the stars reflected in Missouri Lake. It looked like the lake was full of bioluminescence! Definitely looked and felt magical – a great ending to day one of our backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop.

Day Two Backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop

We woke up to the sun shining over Missouri Lake. Since we were staying another night on this loop, we took plenty of time to chill lakeside. We played cards along the shore and scoped out rocks to jump off of into the chilly (freezing) water. After the sun finally warmed us up enough, we were ready-ish to brave the cold water and jump in. But then it got windy and the clouds came out of nowhere, of course! So it took us a while of wanting to jump in but hesitating before we finally did it!

And after you go through the initial shock, might as well do it again right?

Back on the Trail

After we survived and thawed out, we had lunch then packed up the packs and headed off! Following the trail along Missouri Lake was beautiful. And then just as we left one lake behind, we were greeted by another! The next two were much smaller than the first two that we encountered but still the setting and the color of the water was just gorgeous!

Then it was time for a climb – Missouri Pass (11,986 feet). Hiking up Missouri Pass was definitely steep but the climb wasn’t long (about a half mile) and the switchbacks were great.

We reached the top and got our first glimpse into the next valley. The views were seriously spectacular in every direction. I think that this vista from atop Missouri Pass was definitely one of the best of the entire backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop. The colors and the scenery – peaks all around, lakes down below, marmots hanging out with us and being with two of my favorite people made this part of the trip really stand out for me.

Even though we had only put our packs on down by the lake, we took them off and got some fun action shots. And while we were up here, we found a few patches of snow and of course, we couldn’t resist throwing a few snowballs! Check out that scenery below… stunning!

Then we headed down the other side of Missouri Pass towards the sparkling Treasure Vault Lake down below. The view from here was idyllic.

Hike it Later – Pin it Now!

We contemplated setting up camp near Treasure Vault Lake but we kind of just started hiking again. So we decided to go further and camp at Fancy Lake. Once we made it down from Missouri Pass, the trail was mellow through the beautiful high alpine meadow with vast views all around. The views in this valley were so unbelievably beautiful. It looked like a fairytale! The happiness that I get from the beauty of these adventures is unlike anything else. I can literally feel my heart and soul fill with overwhelming feelings of euphoria, joy and appreciation.

Back to reality.. between Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass we had great views of Treasure Vault Lake and Blodgett Lake off in the distance. The mountain tops on the ridge in the distance were striking. And the marmots all around make for the best, heartwarming company.

Also, as we were crossing this alpine meadow section, we noticed some mining remnants up on the hillside.

Then we made it to the steep and rocky ascent to Fancy Pass (12,390 feet). Once again, the trail is definitely steep and likely to get you winded but you’re at the top before you know it. The views back down below towards the meadow we were just walking in were amazing. And the views from Fancy Pass in the opposite direction were much different than the Missouri side. Much more rocky, deep and rugged.

Spontaneous Side Adventure

We stopped at the top of Fancy Pass for a snack then decided to scramble up the nearby peak. This was a fun little side adventure. At first it was pretty much like walking up the side of a mountain. But then it got a little bit more exhilarating, requiring a bit of climbing and avoiding loose rocks.

And before we knew it, we were at the top! From the top, we were able to look down and see Fancy Lake. It looked beautiful nestled between the trees and the rocky mountain.

And of course, the views towards Treasure Vault and Blodgett Lake were jaw dropping once again. Something about that valley…

We took in the panoramic views and then carefully made the descent back to where we left our packs atop Fancy Pass. After our successful side adventure, we headed down the other side of Fancy Pass towards our destination: Fancy Lake.

Hiking to Fancy Lake

This section of down felt pretty long to me. Lots of slipping and sliding on the loose rocks all the way down. But sliding is probably just a faster way to descend. Along the way we had awesome views of the peaks towering above us and the beautiful color of Fancy Lake down below us. Very beautiful descent. Eventually, we made it to the trail junction and headed towards Fancy Lake.

After we checked out Fancy Lake for a bit, we set off to find a campspot. We found one away from the lake but near a stream in a deep rocky canyon. It was a great spot to eat a bunch of the food we still had left before passing out for the night.

Day Three Backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop

The third day of our backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop was basically a quick and easy hike back to the trailheads. We got around, packed up, said goodbye to Fancy Lake and then we struggled for a bit trying to find the correct trail. Don’t know how we got turned around but after we were sure we were on the right trail, down we went!

This 2.5 mile hike back to the trailhead was all downhill through the woods. There were a couple of bridges crossing the water and some cool spots to look over the edge at the steep drop off to the water down below. This part of backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop wasn’t super exciting but getting back to the vehicle usually is.

Thanks for Reading!

We had a great time backpacking Missouri Pass and Fancy Pass Loop! Since we were all packed up for a two night trip when we decided on this adventure we were able to do it at a very leisurely pace and it was very enjoyable! Also, we backpacked this loop Monday-Wednesday and saw few other parties here and there but were able to find solitude easily. Since then, we’ve returned to the trailhead on the weekend and obviously the parking lot was much busier.. This is a great hike in the area and the loop option makes it so you can see three gorgeous valleys easily!

If you’d like to see more of our backpacking adventures, check out the articles below:

• Backpacking Lassen Volcanic National Park
• Peeler Lake Loop | Backpacking Hoover Wilderness
• Backpacking Beartooth Highlakes Trail in Wyoming

We love adventuring and have been living on the road full time for awhile now. On our rest days we’re working hard on our hand painted one of a kind longboards! If you’d like to see our latest lineup, head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop. We also design and screen print our own shirts!

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