Lily Pond Lake Hike

The Lily Pond Lake Trail is a charming adventure. Travel through dense evergreen forests and golden aspen groves before opening to the lake, bounded by impressive Sawatch Mountain summits. Revel in the diversity of the Colorado wilderness and explore the lake’s shores—noticing the beaver dams that have created several small ponds in the area. Note this route is shared with vehicles, so keep an ear out and try to stay near the road’s shoulder.

Embark on your adventure along the Lily Pond Lake Trail from the Mount Elbert Road entrance. From here, follow the route west through a luxuriant meadow before dipping below the timberline. Now hiking through an aspen grove, enjoy the sights of the golden foliage that surrounds you. Soon you will intersect with a small stream, and the forest will transform into an evergreen oasis. Follow the Mount Elbert Road all the way to the Mount Elbert Trailhead. Here, veer right and take an unnamed route northeast up to Lily Pond.

Explore the shores of the quaint pond, and in the summer months, let the vibrance of the area’s greenery take your breath away. Notice Mount Elbert towering above in the west, and when you are ready to return, you have two choices. Either retrace your footing along the path back to the trailhead or loop around on the Lily Pond Road to get back to the route’s entrance near the campground.