BEAVER LAKE

This hike starts at the Beaver Creek Village ski area where you can go to the hiking center and get a Trail map. It follows the Beaver Lake Trail from the village southbound for 3.75 miles and spends at least the first mile winding through the resort.

If you start the hike at the Village, you will use the Five Senses Hiking Trail briefly and pass the Flood’s Fishing Ponds to the left where there are occasionally young children fishing in the summer months. From here you continue climbing and stay to the right of the namesake Beaver Creek.

Once you arrive at a trail junction for Allie’s Way to the left and another in the same area that loops back to the Village to the right – the scenery looks much more like backcountry wilderness and it’s a very pleasant climb the final two miles to Beaver Lake. Just 0.3 miles before the lake – you enter the Holy Cross Wilderness where overnight backpackers are asked to register via the self-service box at the boundary of the resort.

This area was settled by John and Mary Thomas in 1904, and when you see how pretty Beaver Lake is you’ll understand why they chose this area.