I’m trying to cram as much hiking in as possible before it starts snowing in the mountains. Kroenke lake has been on my list all summer and I finally got a chance to do it!
This hike is in Buena Vista and its really easy to get to from Colorado Springs, just follow highway 24. Its about 2 and a half hours away. The road is paved until about the last 3.5 miles, then turns to dirt. Its a little rough, and while you probably could do it in a sedan, I was very thankful for the clearance of my Rav4.
We got there at about 730am and the parking lot was super full. We later realized this because the trail head is shared with the one for Mt. Harvard and there were a bunch of people hiking the 14er. We actually didn’t see another person until we were on our way back from the lake!
It was pretty chilly on our way up, about 45 degrees, so we didn’t have any issues with mosquitoes or other bugs. The trail was beautiful, especially with the sunlight hitting all the dew on the trees and plants. And is there anything better than the smell of the forest in the early morning? The trail follows a creek almost the whole time and there are three beautiful bridges to cross as well.
The trail gains about 1626ft of elevation. We didn’t really notice the elevation gain until the last mile and half, but even then it wasn’t bad. Maybe the beautiful surroundings helped distract us.
The lake itself is absolutely beautiful and crystal clear. Totally worth the hike. It was hard to leave such a beautiful place. I would love to see it in the fall once the leave change too. At the end my watch clocked up at 8.9 miles. Oh- And on your way out of Buena Vista, make sure you stop at Buena Vista Roastery Cafe for coffee!
Thanks for the great post! I found your link from alltrails.com while searching for dog friendly hikes. Do you have any recommendations on camping sites near the lake or Buena Vista in general? My husband and I have one booked in July at Eleven Mile state park but wondering if there’s a better (closer) area to consider. Thanks in advance for any input!
I’m so glad you found it helpful! This was definitely one of my favorite hikes from last year. If you’re looking for an actual campground there’s a KOA campground in Buena Vista. But- my favorite place to camp is actually right along Cottonwood Pass! If you just start driving up the pass you’ll start to notice dispersed camping site off to the side of the road. They’re totally free and it still feels secluded, but its only about a 10 minute drive into the actual town of BV! There’s also a creek which makes it super easy to refill water. Also- highly recommend checking out Lost Lake and watching the sunset from the top of the pass if you’re camping up there!
Oh that is great!! Thanks for the ideas =)