The Guidebook

Trail info you’ll want to know ⤵️

📌 Tips for Responsible Recreation:
🌎 Leave it better than you found it.
🥾 Stay on the trail.
🌲 Do not carve into trees or rocks.
⛺️ Camp on durable surfaces.
🐻 Respect wildlife & keep your distance.
🌻 Don’t disturb or pick wildflowers.
🚮 Pack out your trash & any trash you find.
😀 Be respectful to others.
⚠️ Follow local rules & regulations.
🎒 Bring the proper gear & stay safe.
⛈️ Always check current local weather.

📌 Save this hike:
📍 King Lake Trail
🗓️ Date Visited: 8/8/2026
🚗 Relatively smooth dirt road to the trailhead. High clearance and 4x4 are not required.
🅿️ Minimal roadside parking along the dirt road to the trailhead. ⚠️ Parking is only allowed in the posted areas marked by signs. Do not park anywhere outside of those areas or you will be ticketed or towed.
🚌 There is a free shuttle that runs from the high school to the trailhead every 15 minutes starting at 6AM and reservations are not required. We highly recommend using this if you are not arriving well before sunrise.
🥾 11.8 miles RT, 2,509’ of elevation.
🧭 There are multiple junctions, so we highly recommend downloading the trail map.
✅ Follow all Indian Peaks Wilderness regulations.
🐻 Bears, Moose, and Mountain Lions are active in this area.
🏕 Backpacking is allowed, but permits required from 6/1 to 9/15.
🚫 No camping within 100’ of lakes, streams, or trails.
🦮 Dogs must be on leash. (Pack out dog p**p)
🚻 Porta potties at the trailhead.
🚮 Trash cans at the trailhead.

✅ Follow us Katherine & Derrick Merwin | Colorado Adventure Couple for the best hikes, campsites, and outdoor tips to fuel your next adventure!

Comment “hoodie” or “shorts” and we’ll send you the link!

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✅ Follow us Katherine & Derrick Merwin | Colorado Adventure Couple for the best hikes, campsites, and outdoor tips to fuel your next adventure!

The 10 essentials are designed to help you handle the most common problems you may run into on a hike, like getting lost or injured, unexpected weather, or having to spend longer outside than planned. You might not need most of them every time, but carrying them makes sure you’re prepared if something goes wrong. When I’m deciding if I should bring them or not I take a few things into account. First is how remote the trail is, if it’s right outside of town or in a popular state park I know I will likely have service or will run into other hikers that could help me if needed. Second is how long the trail is, if it’s only a few miles there’s a very high probability that I can still get myself back to the trailhead even if I get injured. Third is how difficult the terrain and conditions could be, if it’s a nice, smooth, easy to follow trail, at low elevation I know that the chances of injury, getting lost, or big weather shifts are pretty minimal. When in the mountains there’s always risk involved and gaining experience helps just as much as having the right gear when it comes to minimizing that risk. I’m not recommending anyone do what I do, but I would like to know what your thoughts are on the matter.

📌 The 10 Hiking Essentials ⤵️
1. Navigation
2. Sun protection
3. Light
4. First aid
5. Repair kit and tools
6. Fire
7. Shelter
8. Nutrition
9. Hydration
10. Additional clothing

Do you hike with the 10 essentials every time?

✅ Follow us Katherine & Derrick Merwin | Colorado Adventure Couple for the best hikes, campsites, and outdoor tips to fuel your next adventure!