wildernet

San Carlos Ranger District

Quick Facts

Blue Lake Day Use Area

Elevation:	10,500 Feet (3273.1 Meters)
Handicapped Accessible:	Yes Trail along south shore
Size:	3 Acres Blue Lake

General Description

Blue Lake is a small, three acre reservoir located at an elevation of 10,500 feet. It is very popular with fishermen, and the Colorado Division of Wildlife stocks the lake with trout during the summer season.

Blue Lake Parking and Day Use Area has enough parking for 12 vehicles. Sanitation is provided for by a double-unit vault toilet. One 30-gal. bear-proofed can is provided for trash collection. Please use it. Drinking water is available at Blue Lake Campground. Trails to Blue Lake Campground and to Bear Lake are accessed along the shoreline. This is a fee area.

Included in this site is a handicapped accessible trail to and along the south shoreline of the lake. The parking area and access trail are aggregate surfaced.

Directions from La Veta: Take Highway 12 south from La Veta, through Cuchara and past the turnoff for Cuchara Mountain Resort. Cuchara Recreation Area is a right turn onto Forest Road 422 . Along the first two miles of the road are the Day Use and Parking Areas; after about five miles you reach Blue and Bear Lakes. It is a typically rutted gravel road; watch yourself going up when the switchbacks turn, some are very deeply rutted. Trinchera Peak 4WD Road 436 begins across from the entrance to Blue Lake Campground, on the left side. The day use sites are located along the first 2 miles of Forest Road 422. All day use picnic sitesinclude at least one unit which is handicapped accessible.

Seasonal Information:
Normally Open: June through Mid-October (NOTE: Access road gate closed by Mid-November) .

Fee Information

Type	Price	Remarks
Parking and Day Use Fee	Call for Current Fee	Toilet, garbage can, 12 parkin

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Recreation Opportunities

Activity		Remarks	On Site
	RV Camping	Blue Lake and Bear Lake	No
	Tent Camping	Blue Lake and Bear Lake and dispersed sites on Trinchera Peak 4 WD Road	No
	Cold Water Fishing	Stocked in summer	Yes
	Four-Wheel Driving	Trinchera Peak 4 WD Road	No
	Games & Play	Blue Lake Day Use Area	Yes
	Hiking & Walking	Trinchera Peak and Indian Creek Trailheads	No
	Mountain Biking	Trinchera Peak 4 WD Road and Indian Creek Trail	No
	Mountain Climbing	Trinchera Peak	No
	ATV Riding	Trinchera Peak 4 WD Road and Indian Creek Trail	No
	Motorcycle Riding	Trinchera Peak 4 WD Road and Indian Creek Trail	No
	Picnicking	There are six day use areas in all, four within the first two miles from Highway 12	Yes

Related Activities

Baker Trail - Baker Trail is accessed via Dodgeton or Indian Creek Trails, making a loop trip possible.

Bear Lake Campground - This campground is located at 10,500 feet above sea level and is within a short hike of Bear Lake. There are 14 single family units, each with a table, fire ring with grill and parking spur. Drinking water is provided.

Bear Lake Day Use Area - Bear Lake Parking and Day Use Area provides access to Blue Lake, Bear Lake Campground and the Indian Trail.

Dodgeton Trail - This trail starts at Spring Creek Trailhead, where there is parking, a new toilet and picnicking facilities. It is designated as a multiple use trail.

Indian Trailhead - The trail starts at the north end of Bear Lake; connects with Baker and Dodgeton Trails, goes over Raspberry Mountain and ends at Indian Creek Road (County Road 421).

Purgatoire Campground - Purgatoire Campground is located on Forest Development Road 34 approximately 4miles west of its intersection with State Highway 12.

Shortcut Trail - This trail links with Indian Creek and Dodgeton Trails and can make a nice loop with Shortcut and Dodgeton Trails.

Trinchera Peak - Trinchera Peak is located above Cuchara and this four-wheel drive road gets you a few miles closer to the summit. Travel through conifers to tree line, where all but high clearance 4 WD vehicles.

Trinchera Peak Four-Wheel Drive Road - Trinchera Peak is located above Cuchara and this four-wheel drive road gets you a few miles closer to the summit. Travel through conifers to tree line, where all but high clearance 4 WD vehicles.