It’s difficult to get a permit to camp at Crater Lake in Colorado due to the rising popularity of this amazing place. But the views, wildlife, and overall experience of the Indian Peaks Wilderness make it worth your time!
Author: Jamie Bone
October 1, 2021
Getting There
From Denver, take I-70 W, which merges with hwy 40. Stay on US-40 W, then turn right on US-34 E after Granby. Turn right onto Co Rd 6. Drive to the Monarch Lake Trailhead. Crater Lake can also be accessed via the Long Lake Trailhead from the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
Our Itinerary: 4 days/3 nights
You can complete this hike in as little as 1 day, but you will have to hike quickly and you won’t get much time to explore. We decided to spend as much time as possible with an extra day to climb Pawnee Pass.
- Day 1: Hike approximately 6 miles
- Camp along the Cascade Creek Trail
- Day 2: Hike remaining 2 miles
- Explore the area
- Camp at Crater Lake
- Day 3: Complete Pawnee Pass
- Hike 1 mile to the Pawnee Y intersection
- Hike 2 miles to Pawnee Pass
- Return to the intersection and camp along the Cascade Creek Trail
- Day 4: Return to Trailhead for well-deserved pizza and beer!
Crater Lake Campground
The Crater Lake Campground has 12 designated campsites to choose from. Once you’ve acquired your permit, the sites are first-come, first-serve. Some of the sites are difficult to locate (#10, #11). Our favorite sites were #4, #7, and #12. Campsite #4 is one of the first campsites you come across when you get to Mirror Lake. It has iconic views of Lone Eagle Peak and flat terrain for a tent, but very little shade. Campsite #7 is all the way over on the other side of the lake and rather secluded. It has decent views, good shade, and flat terrain. We chose to go elsewhere because we didn’t think two tents would fit there. Campsite #12 is the most popular because of its rock shelf location and the old cabin located in the middle of the site. Be aware that other hikers may come to the area to check out the cabin, so you may not have much privacy.
Be sure to display your permit at your campsite. Remember there are no fires allowed in this area. Be sure to follow all Leave No Trace principles when in the Indian Peaks Wilderness in order to preserve it for the future.
The Cascade Creek Trail
This trail begins at the Monarch Lake Trailhead and proceeds for 8 miles to Crater Lake. If you choose to go to Pawnee Pass, there is a Y intersection about 1 mile before Crater Lake and that will take you 3 miles further to Pawnee Pass. There are tons of waterfalls and beautiful rock shelves on this trail. Wildlife was abundant when we went. We saw a total of 15 moose during our 4 days on this trail!
Applying for a Permit
- June 1-September 15: permits are required to camp in the Indian Peaks Wilderness
- September 16 – May 31: permits are not required for groups of 1-7 people. Large groups (8-12 people) still have to apply for a permit.
- Check the USDA’s Backcountry Zone Map to reference where you want to camp. Crater Lake is typically accessed from the Monarch Lake Trailhead or the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
- Permits are available for purchase at recreation.gov.
- Crater Lake only allows camping in 12 designated campsites. This is designed to lower the effects that dispersed camping has on the fragile alpine soil and vegetation.
- Campfires are prohibited at Crater Lake as well as many other areas in the Indian Peaks Wilderness.
- Pets must be on a leash at all times in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. This protects your pets, the wildlife, and you from any unfortunate encounters.
- Packstock is prohibited in the Crater Lake backcountry zone.
Tips
- There are 3 types of permits available:
- Full season in advance – check recreation.gov to see what date these will be available.
- 3 nights in advance – these permits are available 3 nights prior to the start of your trip.
- Large group (8-12 people) day use permits.
- We applied for the full season in advance permit in order to secure our campsite for one of the busiest weekends of the entire season. We signed in at midnight and the permits went like crazy! But we were able to secure a permit on one of the days we wanted.
- Weekends and holidays will be popular and crowded. You’ll have a better chance on a weekday trip during the shoulder season.
- We accessed Crater Lake from the Monarch Lake trailhead. If you access it from the Brainard Lake area, you’ll have to cross Pawnee Pass to get there.
If you found this useful, check out our article on the Best Hikes in Hawaii or Gourd Lake.