Lake City is an underrated outdoor playground

Quiet south Colorado town offers hiking, scenic drives and quaint charm

By Eric Peterson

In south-central Colorado, Lake City checks all of the boxes for a summer road trip. The out-of-the-way town of Victorian homes and woodsy cabins is surrounded by some of the least-trafficked wilderness in the state, a geological jumble of tundra, water and rock. 

Photo by Eric Peterson

Despite its roots in silver mining, Lake City is perhaps best known as the site of the infamous cannibalistic crimes of Alferd Packer in 1874. Packer escaped but was subsequently arrested and tried in Lake City in 1883, and ultimately paroled in 1901.

That grisly episode aside, the area is about as quiet and peaceful as any place in Colorado, with enough trails and scenic drives to easily fill a week.

Driving

Silver Thread Scenic Byway: This paved 117-mile stretch of Colorado Highway 149 from Blue Mesa Reservoir to South Fork passes through Lake City and features several overlooks and waterfalls, and the sheer basalt cliffs known as The Gate.

Alpine Loop: This 64-mile loop from the heart of Lake City passes Lake San Cristobal while traveling to Silverton and Ouray and back to Lake City. It is one of the most renowned and rugged 4x4 routes in the state, and dotted with ghost towns and shuttered mines. The beginning of the road is passable for two-wheel-drive vehicles, but the majority of the route requires four-wheel-drive and high clearance.

Hiking

Big Blue Trail: With a trailhead about 20 miles northwest of Lake City, this is a perfect hike for those looking for sublime scenery without extreme terrain. The 10.9-mile trail parallels Big Blue Creek through stands of aspen and pine on the way to the Uncompahgre Wilderness Area. 

Crystal Lake Trail: From a trailhead on the north side of town, this hike ascends 3,000 feet and  4 miles through aspen groves and rocky terrain before arriving on the shores of idyllic Crystal Lake.

Lake City. | Photo by Michael Underwood, courtesy of Lake City-Hinsdale County

Handies Peak: One of the easier fourteeners to summit, the shortest trail up Handies Peak starts from the Alpine Loop. It’s still no picnic, a 5-mile round trip with a 2,500-foot elevation gain, but it’s shorter and less strenuous than the alternate route from Grizzly Gulch.

Points of interest

Lake Fork of the Gunnison River: Lake City is located alongside the river, and it features a 0.6-mile trail and plenty of fishing spots and places to stop and relax within earshot of the water.

Lake San Cristobal: The second-largest natural lake in Colorado offers fishing, boating, camping, and wildlife viewing. Dan’s Fly Shop (dansflyshop.com) offers boat rentals, guided fishing and gear.

Slumgullion Pass: The site of Alfred Packer’s crimes two miles south of Lake City is named for the earthflow known as the Slumgullion Slide. There is an overlook of the slide as well as a memorial to Packer’s victims on the roadside.

Eating & drinking

Packer Saloon and Cannibal Grill: This watering hole and
eatery features a rough-and-tumble bar and bustling patio. The menu includes burgers, pizza, and assorted pub grub.
packersaloonandcannibalgrill.net.

San Juan Soda Co.:  Housed in a historic former soda fountain, this mainstay now scoops ice cream and pours coffee, and stocks an assortment of unique gifts and housewares, much of it from local artisans. sanjuansoda.com.

For more information, contact the Lake City Chamber of Commerce at 970-944-2527 or visit lakecity.com.