The Spirit of the Rockies www.thespiritoftherockies.net

Hike Profiles for Rocky Mountain National Park and Surrounding Areas

Cony Lake

Cony Lake lies in the remote southwest end of Wild Basin, at the foot of the Continental Divide. Because of the long approach to the lake, Cony Lake is most often visited by hikers using a backcountry campsite rather than by day hikers. Beyond Pear Lake, there is no established trail, so this hike necessitates some basic route-finding.

Distance: 8.7 miles one-way Lake elevation: 11,512 feet Trailhead elevation: 8,470 feet Net elevation gain: 3,042 feet Finch Lake Trailhead Rocky Mountain National Park

Cony Lake

Major Trail Landmarks Junction of Finch Lake and Allenspark Trails (2.3 miles one-way from trailhead) Finch Lake (4.5 miles one-way from trailhead) Pear Lake (6.5 miles one-way from trailhead) Lower Hutcheson Lake (7.2 miles one-way from trailhead) - via unimproved trail beyond Pear Lake Middle Hutcheson Lake (7.5 miles one-way from trailhead) - via unimproved trail beyond Pear Lake Upper Hutcheson Lake (8.1 miles one-way from trailhead) - via unimproved trail beyond Pear Lake

Principal Destinations Near Cony Lake Cony Pass (9.2 miles one-way from trailhead) - via unmaintained route above Cony Lake

Backcountry Campsites Near Cony Lake Pear Creek (6.4 miles one-way from trailhead) - 3 individual sites Pear Lake (6.6 miles one-way from trailhead) - 1 individual site

The Finch Lake Trailhead is in the southeast portion of Rocky Mountain National Park in the Wild Basin area. Turn west on to Wild Basin Road from Colorado Highway 7, at a junction about 13 miles south of Estes Park, or 2 miles north of Allesnpark. Continue west to the Copeland Lake area, approximately one-half mile from Highway 7. The Finch Lake trailhead is about 1.8 miles beyond Copeland Lake on a narrow gravel road. The trail begins on the south side of the road. From the trailhead, hike the Finch Lake Trail to a major trail junction at 2.3 miles. At the junction, continue southwest toward Finch Lake (Other trails at this point lead east to Allenspark, and west to Calypso Cascades. When facing west, the Finch Lake trail will be the left-hand trail where the right-hand trail leads to Calypso Cascades). Continue on the trail past Finch Lake to Pear Lake, where the main trail ends. Pick a route leading south from Pear Lake to intercept Cony Creek, and follow Cony Creek west to pass the chain of Hutcheson Lakes. Continue west past the Hutcheson Lakes along the Cony Creek drainage to Cony Lake.

Sample photographs of the hike to Cony Lake

Ogalalla Peak from Upper Hutcheson Lake

Upper Hutcheson Lake

Upper Hutcheson Lake from near Cony Lake

Cony Pass and Cony Lake

Cony Lake topographic map

Principal summer trail marked by solid red line; unmaintained trail or route marked by dashed red line. Map is oriented with north to the top of the map

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All photographs are property of Mike Amfahr and are protected by copyright laws. Topographic map is property of and copyrighted by Maps a la carte, Inc., and is used on this site with permission.