Summit Lake Parking/Camping

Trailhead condition requests, questions, alerts, etc.
Forum rules
  • This is a mountaineering forum, so please keep your posts on-topic. Posts do not all have to be related to the 14ers but should at least be mountaineering-related.
  • Personal attacks and confrontational behavior will result in removal from the forum at the discretion of the administrators.
  • Do not use this forum to advertise, sell photos or other products or promote a commercial website.
  • Posts will be removed at the discretion of the site administrator or moderator(s), including: Troll posts, posts pushing political views or religious beliefs, and posts with the purpose of instigating conflict within the forum.
For more details, please see the Terms of Use you agreed to when joining the forum.
Post Reply
User avatar
Rhyno3258
Posts: 8
Joined: 6/13/2017
14ers: 8 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Summit Lake Parking/Camping

Post by Rhyno3258 »

I am looking at being in Colorado over Labor Day weekend and am considering hiking Mt. Evans. I am finding conflicting information concerning road closures, parking, camping, etc.. Any recent information would be very helpful.

1. Can I camp at Echo lake and drive up to Summit Lake parking early in the morning? Is there a reservation I need to get?
2. Is camping allowed at Summit Lake? In car or tent?
3. Any dispersed camping nearby?

I will keep researching, but was seeing too much information that was from last year or older that wasn't clear.

Thanks for any help!
User avatar
shays_days
Posts: 118
Joined: 7/17/2018
14ers: 13  3 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Summit Lake Parking/Camping

Post by shays_days »

I've seen two sources that say you don't need a permit if you go through the gate to the summit before 8am with the new permit system. Not sure about your other questions.
User avatar
Rhyno3258
Posts: 8
Joined: 6/13/2017
14ers: 8 
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Summit Lake Parking/Camping

Post by Rhyno3258 »

Ok. Thank you! I was seeing some of the same information. I'm also looking into summiting via the South Ridge and just sleeping in my Jeep the night before.
teamdonkey
Posts: 148
Joined: 8/28/2018
14ers: 28  1 
13ers: 18 1
Trip Reports (0)
 

Re: Summit Lake Parking/Camping

Post by teamdonkey »

If you're already camping, consider parking at Echo Lake and hiking up to the lower Chicago Lake and setting up there. It adds a bit of time on summit day, but much more enjoyable.
Post Reply