Hiking to Whitney Lake | Holy Cross Wilderness

The trailhead for hiking to Whitney Lake is a bit hidden off of Homestake Road. After spending a week and half boondocking on Homestake Road, we had driven past the Whitney Lake Trailhead numerous times before discovering it on the map. And once we realized there was a hiking trail so near our camp spot we had to check it out! Having seen so much beauty already accessed from Homestake Road we were looking forward to what we would find hiking to Whitney Lake.

Missouri and Fancy Pass Loop | Backpacking to Tuhare Lakes | Boondocking on Homestake Road | Lonesome Lake Trail

Whitney Lake is a relatively short hike to a pretty and peaceful tree-lined lake. But be warned, it may be short but it is also steep almost the entire way! Makes for a quick descent. Hiking to Whitney Lake seems like a super worthwhile destination for fishing – we saw a lot of good sized fish and a fisherman having luck while we were there.

Quick Info: Hiking to Whitney Lake

Distance: 5 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderately strenuous

Directions: From Minturn, follow US-24 E south for about 10 miles and then turn right onto Homestake Road/FR 703. Proceed on Homestake Road for about 5 miles to the small parking area on the left. The trailhead for hiking Whitney Lake is just across the road.

Our Experience Hiking to Whitney Lake

Just a short drive from our campspot on Homestake Road, we kept watch for a parking area and trailhead we had yet to see. Then we spotted it. There was one vehicle there when we arrived and across the street from the parking area we saw the trailhead signs hiding behind the trees. We grabbed our day bag and began hiking to Whitney Lake.

Of course, like a lot of Colorado hikes, the trail began with a climb! Little did we know that climb I just mentioned would last for the entire hike. The trail led up through the aspens and we quickly entered the Holy Cross Wilderness. Hiking through the aspens is always a treat. We noticed that there were some leaves scattered on the ground and some of the leaves were beginning to change to yellow. After our cold, wet backpacking trip to Tuhare Lakes we weren’t surprised that Fall was indeed in the air!

The trail continues to climb as it enters an open area revealing more climbing that we were about to tackle. After this climb, there is a nice viewpoint showing how high up we were getting!

Hike it Later – Pin it Now

The trees began to transition from aspens to conifers as we gained more elevation. Out in the distance we were able to see the Homestake Reservoir in the far valley.

We crossed one water crossing as we were hiking to Whitney Lake. Then continued our ascent through the conifers before we reached the shore!

Whitney Lake was completely surrounded by dense conifers which differs from most of the lakes that we’ve been hiking to lately. The water was super clear, and a little green, but we could see large fish swimming around. And the rugged mountaintops jutting up above the treeline in the backdrop were beautiful.

After hiking to Whitney Lake, we had totally planned on jumping in. But we didn’t this time. Instead we walked along the shore, took in the view and snacked before heading back down.

Thanks for Reading!

Hiking to Whitney Lake is a short but steep venture through the woods to a nice lake nestled in a forested setting. Not only scenic, it’s a great day hiking option for a refreshing swim or spending the day fishing. And it’s super convenient if you happen to be camping on Homestake Road!

If you’d like to check out some of our other hiking adventures, check out the links below:

• Backpacking Oh Be Joyful Pass
• Off the Beaten Path Hiking and Climbing in Joshua Tree
• Red Mountain Trail
• Valley of Fire State Park

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