Why does the headline have a trail number? That’s because there are a lot of lost lakes in Colorado. I even wrote an article about seven of them in 2017.
One of my favorites on that list is Lost Lake near Buena Vista. For years, the name was actually appropriate. The only way to find the lake was to know where to pull over on the side of Cottonwood Pass and where to start hiking into the trees. There was no trailhead, there was no trail, and there was no sign.
That changed in 2023 when the U.S. Forest Service built a parking lot and a trail. There’s even a sign on Cottonwood Pass to make it easy for people to find.
The new parking lot isn't huge, but it has space for about a dozen vehicles, depending on how everyone parks. It’s also a dirt parking lot, and when I visited in 2026, it had some deep ruts.
The trailhead has portable bathrooms, and a sign that explains this is an interpretive trail and it will tell a story as you hike.
Walk around the gate and the hike starts on an old road in the forest. If you come early in the morning, or late in the afternoon, you’ll have quite a bit of shade on the road.
Half of the hike is on this road. There are a few ups and downs, but no big elevation change
After about 0.8 of a mile, you’ll come to a turn off and a sign that says Lost Lake 3/4 of a mile.
The next section is on a trail that winds through the forest. There are three signs along the way, and three boulder fields that you’ll have to cross. This is when you get to that interpretive part of the hike that the sign at the trailhead promised.
The first sign talks about a timber sale — explaining what it is, why it’s done and what a difference it made in this area.
The second sign talks about the mining history in this area and specifically the Tincup Mining District. Look closely, and you’ll see the remnants of an old cabin. The sign says in the 1860s, there were 10,000 people in Park County, which was 1/3 of the entire Colorado territories population.
The third sign asks if you can see Pikes Peak? I don't think you can, but the sign explains Native American history tied to the mountain and it explains that Katharine Lee Bates wrote a poem about the mountain and how it eventually became the song, America the Beautiful.
After the third sign, you’ll hike through one more boulder field, then a short walk to the shore of the lake.
Lost Lake sits just below the Continental Divide, so it has an impressive backdrop. There's also an island in the middle of the lake, making it look different than many lakes in Colorado.
If you've been here before the new trail was created, you'll be on a slightly different part of the lake, giving you a different view.
This is a great place to sit and enjoy the beauty of Colorado.
DETAILS: The hike to Lost Lake is about 3.6 miles with 400 feet of elevation gain.
Remember that our beautiful places are getting overrun and need to be treated with kindness. Don’t pick the flowers, don’t leave dog poop bags to be picked up later, bring a wag bag for you just in case, don't play music out loud, check the weather, bring the 10 essentials and tell someone where you’re going and when you’ll be back.
If you have any questions, or hike suggestions, email me at HikingDebbie@gmail.com and find more great hikes by following me on Facebook at Facebook.com/DenverHikingExaminer.