Beautiful Hike on Pitkin Lake Trail | Vail Hiking

Pitkin Lake Trail is a great choice for hiking near Vail. The trailhead for Pitkin Lake Trail is in East Vail, just off of Interstate 70. The scenic trail is a continuous climb through mixed forests with some intermittent open valley views that expose some of the towering peaks nearby. The trailhead is super accessible, the location convenient and Pitkin Lake itself is a beautiful alpine lake destination!

Pitkin Lake Trail was definitely on my Vail hiking list to do while we were in the area. So even though it was Labor Day, we decided to brave the crowds on the trails because the forecast for tomorrow called for highs in the 40s and snow!

Quick Info: Pitkin Lake Trail

Distance: 10 miles roundtrip

Difficulty: Moderately strenuous

Directions: From Vail, continue east on I-70 to exit 180. Turn left onto Big Horn Road and then turn right onto Fall Line Drive. In a quarter mile, the you will reach the parking area for Pitkin Lake Trail.

Good to Know: There is a Port-a-Potty at the trailhead

Our Experience Hiking Pitkin Lake Trail

After our spontaneous change of plans, we were conveniently only ten minutes away from the Pitkin Lake Trailhead! A review that I read noted that parking at the trailhead was limited but we were this close so we decided to go check it out. There are about 10 parking spots at the trailhead and we were stoked to find that there were some empty spots, even on Labor Day! We took that as a good sign regarding the crowds on this particular trail as well. So we threw on the day pack and headed off on our adventure.

From the parking area, Pitkin Lake Trail enters a young aspen forest and quickly reaches a wooden bridge crossing over a pretty river crossing. And then the nearly continuous climb begins! At first there are some steep switchbacks leading to the Eagles Nest Wilderness boundary sign and then the trail straightens and mellows out a bit.

After some more climbing through the mixed forest, the trail opens up and exposes valley views and some of the nearby impressive, rugged mountain peaks. Unfortunately, when we hiked Pitkin Lake Trail, the air quality was terrible from a nearby fire. The colors, scenery and landscapes were a bit muted and the feeling on the trail was almost alarming with gusty winds and worsening visibility.

The trail continued through conifers and then climbed steeply. After this steep climb, about 2.5 miles in, there is an unmarked junction that headed towards a waterfall that could be seen in the distance. One of the groups of hikers that we met on the trail mentioned that the waterfall was their destination. We didn’t follow this trail branch so I’m not sure if the trail eventually reaches the waterfall or not.

Hike it Later – Pin it Now!

Then there is more ascending through the woods before reaching a wide open meadow with enough downed trees for Shane to bypass the trail and stay on the logs.

Even with the super smoky conditions, the jagged tops of the nearby mountains were pretty incredible. The sharp angles and towering above the valley emphasized the dramatic landscapes within the Eagles Nest Wilderness.

After more climbing, gorgeous angular mountain views and a couple “oh that might be it”‘s we finally made it! Pitkin Lake is a big, alpine lake with a gorgeous rugged backdrop! And the water is super deep with some rocks that would make great spots for jumping in. Unfortunately, we didn’t jump in this time. With the snow in the forecast for tomorrow, the gusty wind had a definite chill to it. I know.. excuses, excuses.

We hung out by the water and ate our peanut butter and jellys. And we noticed a lot of good sized fish swimming around. The lake wasn’t very busy either – only four other people along the lakeshore. After we took it all in, we headed back the way we came. The descent was quick and definitely steep!

Thanks for Reading About Our Adventure!

Pitkin Lake Trail made for a nice, last minute and surprisingly low traffic Vail hiking adventure. Honestly, I think I would have enjoyed it more and probably ranted and raved about the beauty of it more if it wasn’t for the smoke.. It was kind of hard to ignore.

We are about to move from our spot on Homestake Road to find somewhere to boondock near the Eagles Nest Wilderness. So this hike was a nice glimpse into the type of scenery and rugged landscapes we can expect to find on our adventures in this wilderness! Hopefully the snow and cool temperatures coming our way will help with the nearby fire. We’re excited to explore deeper into the Eagles Nest Wilderness!

If you’d like to read about more of our adventures, check out the links below:

• Backpacking North Halfmoon Lakes + Mount Massive
• Owens Peak in the Southern Sierras
• Hiking in Pinnacles National Park

And if you would like to help support The Lost Longboarder, head over to our Lost Coast Longboarding Shop! We have one of a kind hand painted longboards as well as shirts that are designed and screen printed by us on the road.

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