Top 20 Lakes in the Gore Range

For an easy and enjoyable outing, Lily Pad Lake is a great choice, accessible via a 3.5-mile round trip hike suitable for all skill levels. Another accessible option is Lower Cataract Lake, which offers a short walk from the car and a trail around the lake, perfect for experiencing nature without large crowds. Dillon Reservoir also provides family-friendly activities like boating and fishing.

Gore Lake is known for its challenging 6.5 to 13-mile round trip hike with significant elevation gain, rewarding visitors with deep blue waters and surrounding peaks. The series of Willow Lakes also offers a demanding trek featuring waterfalls, wildflower meadows, and stunning mountain ridgelines. For those seeking extreme solitude, Dora Lake is off the beaten path with challenging, trailless access to a high alpine plateau.

The best time to visit is typically between early June and mid-October, when trails are generally clear of snow and wildflowers are abundant. However, be prepared for potential snow at higher elevations like Gore Lake well into the summer. Lakes like Buckeye Lake are best for fishing once they thaw, usually by June.

Yes, many lakes in the Gore Range are excellent for fishing. Gore Lake is popular for large cutthroat trout, often 18-22 inches. You can also find cutthroat trout in Willow Lakes and Lower Crystal Lake. Eaglesmere Lakes are also recommended for fishing, and Buckeye Lake offers fishing once it thaws, typically by June. Dillon Reservoir is also a popular spot for fishing.

The area around Gore Lake offers opportunities to spot mountain goats. At Upper Cataract Lake, visitors sometimes see mountain goats as well. Lower Crystal Lake is home to pikas, moose, deer, and marmots. Rainbow Lake, easily accessible off the Peaks Trail, is known for regular moose sightings.

Dora Lake is described as off the beaten path due to its challenging, trailless access, appealing to those seeking solitude. Lily Pad Lake, tucked away in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, sees less traffic than other lake trails in the area. Upper Cataract Lake is also noted for being quiet and outrageously gorgeous.

Beyond hiking to the lakes, the Gore Range offers a variety of outdoor activities. You can find numerous cycling routes, including the Mineral Belt Trail and the Tenmile Canyon Recpath. For road cycling, consider routes like the Copper Triangle. There are also many easy hikes available, such as the Lily Pad Lake via Meadow Creek Trail.

Gore Lake provides a magical camping experience, though campfires are prohibited. Upper Cataract Lake is also known for wonderful backcountry camping opportunities, offering a quiet and gorgeous alpine setting. For a truly immersive experience at a demanding destination, a two-night stay is recommended at Upper Slate Lake to fully enjoy the morning views.

While many alpine lakes are quite cold, Lily Pad Lake is mentioned as a place where you can actually swim when it's warm enough outside. Always be prepared for cold water temperatures in mountain lakes.

Lower Crystal Lake is accessible by high-clearance 4WD for those with capable vehicles, offering access to an alpine lake known for cutthroat trout and wildlife.

Dillon Reservoir stands out as Denver's largest water supply, offering scenic views and a wide range of activities like boating, fishing, and summer concerts at its lakeside amphitheater. It also has historical significance, as its construction in the early 1960s required the relocation of the original town of Dillon.

Eaglesmere Lakes are particularly noted for providing unique mirrored views of the jagged Gore Mountain Range peaks, along with sightings of old-growth forests and grazing cows.