Hiking American Lakes Trail and Thunder Pass | State Forest State Park

Hiking American Lakes Trail is a great opportunity to experience one of the seriously gorgeous hikes found in State Forest State Park. State Forest State Park is an incredible 71,000 acres of rugged and dramatic scenic Colorado landscapes. Located in north-central Colorado, State Forest State Park shares its boundary with the Rawah Wilderness in the north and Rocky Mountain National Park in the south. So obviously the landscapes here will not disappoint.

Hiking American Lakes Trail leads to two beautiful lakes – Snow and Michigan Lakes. But there are also several trail junctions that provide options to extend the adventure. While in the area, be sure to look for the wildlife that abounds!

Quick Info:

Distance: 10 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderate

Directions: Click here for directions to American Lakes Trailhead

Good to Know: There is a $9 entrance fee to hike in State Forest State Park. Be sure to bring exactly $9 because the fee is paid at a self service deposit box. To pay with credit/debit or if you need change, the fee can also be paid at visitor center during open hours. There is a vault toilet near the trailhead.

Our Experience Hiking American Lakes Trail

We arrived at the American Lakes trailhead around 9 am on the Friday of Labor Day weekend and were surprised to find only three other vehicles there. Since this is a great area for spotting moose, we were glad it wasn’t too crowded yet.

Hiking American Lakes Trail begins with a mellow ascent through the woods, granting several meadow views as it headed towards the mountain peaks in the distance. After a little more than a mile, the road crosses paths with a seasonal dirt road. Continue straight here past the large sign indicating 3 miles to American Lakes.

After some more mellow climbing, we crossed a bridge over the stream and the switchbacks began.

Sometimes switchbacks can be monotonous but I found these switchbacks to be steep enough to effectively tackle the elevation gain without being too redundant. Plus, the more we climbed the more distracting the surrounding scenery became.

Eventually, hiking American Lakes Trail leaves the switchbacks behind and heads above treeline. The vast views reveal the beautiful alpine landscape and towering peaks all around. Down below near the water we spotted three moose! We couldn’t have been happier, seeing such majestic creatures in such a magnificent setting.

After watching them for a bit, we continued hiking American Lakes Trail and quickly reached a trail junction at Michigan Lake. Straight leads to Snow Lake and left heads to Thunder Pass and beyond. We decided to do Thunder Pass first since the morning air was still cool for the exposed segment of trail.

Hiking to Thunder Pass

At the junction, we turned left and crossed the stream on rocks. The alpine scenery was absolutely stunning in every direction and the trail pleasantly mellow as it led towards Thunder Pass. We crossed a small stream and made the climb up to the pass.

And once we reached Thunder Pass, we were greeted with signs indicating we’d reached the Rocky Mountain National Park Boundary as well as incredible big views into the next valley.

From here, turn left to follow the steep trail up to the summit of Lulu Mountain. Or follow the less strenuous trail to the right up to a nearby saddle. We opted for the saddle option this time.

At the saddle we were overwhelmed with amazement. The dramatic views in every direction were mind blowing. A great reminder of the unparalleled beauty we continue to discover in Colorado.

And just when we thought it couldn’t get any better than this, we spotted about 20 bighorn sheep on the mountainside in the distance. Then we heard the magical elk bugle from somewhere hidden down in the valley below. Being surrounded by breath taking scenery while being in the presence of thriving wildlife is just euphoric. In that moment, it feels as though nothing matters except the present and my mind state couldn’t get any clearer. For me, that’s a hard state to attain.

After taking it all in, we headed back down from Thunder Pass and continued back through the alpine landscape to the trail junction near Michigan Lakes.

Hiking American Lakes Trail to Snow Lake

Once we reached the trail junction, we turned left towards Snow Lake. American Lakes Trail is just beautiful as it follows the shore of Michigan Lakes and begins a mellow climb up towards the towering crags.

Past Michigan Lakes, hiking American Lakes Trail gets rocky and really steep. The final climb up to Snow Lake is like an intense set of stairs sure to get your heart pumping and your legs burning a bit. Luckily there is beauty all around and even more to see up ahead!

On our way up to Snow Lake, we spotted a marmot sun bathing and several pika as well.

Finally, we got a glimpse of the gorgeous shimmering jade colored water set in the dramatic cirque of sharp, towering crags. Snow Lake was mesmerizing. After the strenuous, steep climb the water looked inviting but I made the mistake of feeling the water and quickly decided I was content with just looking at it instead haha.

Hike it Later – Pin it Now!

If you are up for a swim, if you are facing Snow Lake and follow the shoreline to the right, the depth of the water near the shore gets much deeper. Plenty of good spots to jump in off the boulders.

We found a nice spot to relax and eat our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches while taking in the rewarding view. Then a large group of people arrived so we headed back down. As we were making the steep descent there was another large group heading up. Labor Day weekend seems to have begun!

Hiking American Lakes Trail to Snow Lake and adding in Thunder Pass was an incredible peek into the beauty that abounds in State Forest State Park and the surrounding areas. It was a great day hike with just enough challenge, impressive beauty and bonus wildlife encounters.

Thanks for Reading!

If you would like to read about some more of our adventures, check out the links below:

• Backpacking Oh Be Joyful Pass + Blue Lake
• Hiking Zirkel Circle
• Big Loop Hike in Chiricahua National Monument
• Hiking to Sierra Buttes Lookout Tower

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