Lion Lake No. 1 Trail

Lion Lake No. 1 Trail is a 13.6-mile out-and-back from Wild Basin Trailhead to the eastern shore of Lion Lake No. 1, following the scenic line past Copeland Falls and Ouzel Creek’s cascades. The climb to the lake is about 6.8 miles one way, with roughly 2,800 feet of ascent. Allow 7 to 10 hours for a full day at high elevation. A separate seven-mile figure starts from Finch Lake Trailhead; the distance here uses Wild Basin.

Begin at Wild Basin Trailhead, where parking, toilets and a ranger station are available. Check the park’s current timed-entry rules before a summer drive, since reservations apply during some entry periods. Pets are prohibited on park trails. At Pine Ridge, a rougher campsite spur cuts toward Thunder Lake Trail, saving about a mile each way while skipping Calypso Cascades and Ouzel Falls. This route follows the longer waterfall approach. Several backcountry campsites lie along it; overnight stays require a wilderness permit and reservation.

The first stretch climbs through subalpine forest. Lower Copeland Falls is about 0.3 to 0.4 mile from the trailhead, and Upper Copeland Falls is roughly a tenth of a mile farther along a short side path. After crossing Sandbeach Creek, stay on the scenic line at Pine Ridge. Log bridges cross North St. Vrain near cascades, and switchbacks climb to Ouzel Falls around 2.7 miles from the start. The route continues above the falls, past the Bluebird Lake junction, into the upper valley.

As the forest thins, the route passes backcountry campsites and reaches the Lion Lake branch. Watch for its sign above the main tread; it can be easy to miss while climbing. The upper trail steepens over rough rock and slabs, and the tread fades in places. Follow the signed Lion Lake line rather than continuing toward Thunder Lake. The last approach crosses open meadow and boulders before reaching the lake’s shore.

From the eastern and northern shore, Lion Lake sits below a high wall of peaks. Mount Alice and Pilot Mountain rise across the water, Chiefs Head Peak dominates to the right, and Tanima Peak stands to the south. For a photograph, keep some of the rocky shore in the foreground with the lake and peaks beyond; the foreground gives the wide basin scale. Informal paths continue beyond Lion Lake No. 1 toward Lion Lake No. 2 and Snowbank Lake. Those unmaintained extensions are outside this mapped hike.

Snow can linger at the lake’s elevation into spring, while late spring and early summer bring wildflowers to the open meadows. Wildlife is unpredictable, but accounts mention ptarmigan and mountain bluebirds in the meadow and an American dipper along the lake shore. Treat those as possible sightings, not a promise.