Chasm Lake, one of Colorado’s most beautiful mountain lakes, is a high-altitude alpine lake tucked into a glacial cirque below the towering East Face of 14,259-foot Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Granite walls, Mills Glacier, and talus fields filling the cirque surround this picturesque lake. The 11,780-foot lake is reached by a popular nine-mile, round-trip hike from the Longs Peak Trailhead and Ranger Station. The final trail section climbs above Peacock Pool to Chasm Lake’s rocky shoreline and stunning mountain views. Imposing Longs Peak looms to the west with Mount Lady Washington on the north and 13,911-foot Mount Meeker to the south.
Pro Tips
Chasm Lake is reached by a 4.5-mile hike from the Longs Peak Trailhead off Colorado Highway 7 south of Estes Park. Hike up East Longs Peak Trail, the summit route for Longs Peak, for 3.25 miles to Chasm Junction. Go left on Chasm Lake Trail, which traverses west across the southeastern side of Mount Lady Washington, passing above Peacock Pool and Columbine Falls, to a final scramble up talus to the lake’s eastern shore. Allow four to six hours to do the hike and enjoy the scenery. Cross any snowfields with extreme caution.Chasm Lake is the jumping-off point for climbers heading up to the East Face of Longs Peak. The Diamond, a 900-foot-high vertical cliff, tops the East Face and offers climbers some of America’s best high-altitude rock climbs. These include The Casual Route, D-7, and Pervertical Sanctuary. Other routes on the East Face are the classic Stettner’s Ledges, Kor’s Door, The Diagonal, and Keiner’s Ledges, a big snow route to the summit. Mount Meeker, one of Colorado’s 100 highest peaks, is climbed by the Loft Route up left from the lake.There’s not a lot to do at Chasm Lake besides enjoy the spectacular scenery. Bring a lunch and sit on boulders along the shore at one of Colorado’s best picnic spots. Bring a camera to capture photos that will amaze your friends back home. The best time for photography is in the early morning when the still lake reflects Longs Peak. Afternoon winds usually ruffle the lake surface. Also, shoot photos of Columbine Falls, a frothy waterfall that spills over high cliffs.Chasm Lake is not one of Rocky Mountain’s best lakes for fly fishing. While it is usually fishable from June to October, the deep lake yields few cutthroat trout. Most fishermen feel it’s a waste of time to hike to the lake. Better high-altitude lakes for fishing include Fern Lake, Sandbeach Lake, Mills Lake, Sky Pond, Lawn Lake, and Big Crystal Lake.Recommended season(s): Year-round.
—Stewart M. Green
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