City: Boulder, CO

Category: Parks & Recreation

Description: This trailhead leads to spectacular hikes to Diamond Lake, South Arapaho Peak, Arapaho Pass, Fourth of July Mine, and Dorothy Lake. Fourth of July trailhead is just north of Hessie (see next entry) via the same road through the town of Eldora. To reach these trailheads from Boulder, drive to Nederland via Boulder Canyon. From the southwest end of Nederland, follow Highway 72 to the town of Eldora, where CR 130 begins at the west end of town. Follow this dirt road to the Hessie fork and take the right branch, which is a very rocky and bumpy 5-mile ride to Buckingham Campground (also called Fourth of July Campground). From the campground, take the right fork up to the parking lot at the trailhead. From the trailhead (10,121 feet) it’s a 3-mile climb to Arapaho Pass at 12,061 feet. One mile from the trailhead is a turnoff to Diamond Lake, another 1.3 miles away at 10,960 feet. The Diamond Lake Trail dips down the valley and crosses the North Fork of Middle Boulder Creek. The trail crosses several small streams and continues upward to a big, wet meadow full of wildflowers. A trail junction sign directs hikers to the left for Devil’s Thumb Trail and Jasper Lake, but continue going straight for Diamond Lake, which sparkles like the gem for which it was named. By continuing on the Fourth of July Trail (instead of taking the Diamond Lake Trail), hikers reach the Fourth of July Mine at 1.5 miles, a worthwhile destination in itself, with interesting old mining equipment and a great view of Arapaho Pass on the Continental Divide. At the mine, there’s the option of turning right and continuing up the Arapaho Glacier Trail to the glacier overlook and on up South Arapaho Peak (13,397 feet and 3.5 miles one way from the start of the trail). North Arapaho Peak (13,502 feet) is another .75 mile along a connecting ridge with some exposure.These peaks should be attempted only by strong, experienced climbers with proper equipment. It’s also important to get an early start to avoid the regular afternoon lightning storms. (The rule of thumb in summer is to be off a peak and headed back down by noon.) By continuing straight up the trail at Fourth of July Mine, hikers can reach Arapaho Pass in another 1.5 miles along a barren, rocky old wagon road. Listen for the whistles of marmots and pikas along the way, and look for these appealing, high-altitude critters. Marmots are similar to groundhogs, and pikas are guinea pig-size creatures related to rabbits, not rodents. Arapaho Pass is usually extremely windy, but the view is sublime, looking over the Continental Divide down the western slope to Caribou Lake and Coyote Park. Another short jaunt of 0.5 mile to the left leads to scenic, snowfield-crowned Dorothy Lake, at a chill 12,061 feet with usually an iceberg or two. Take care to avoid trampling the tiny tundra flowers around the lake—rock hopping is best.