Fryingpan Lakes #1921

About Fryingpan Lakes #1921

Beginning at Nast (Horseshoe Bend), the trail is a fairly easy climb and parallels the Fryingpan River for nine miles until it reaches the lakes. The trail may be shortened by taking road #505 and hiking the remaining four miles. This trail passes in and out of conifer forests and high meadows. There is a stream crossing about 2 1/2 miles before the lakes, so bring extra socks.

How to Get There

From Carbondale travel east on Hwy 82 to Basalt. Turn left at the stoplight and travel 32 miles up the Fryingpan River. When the pavement ends, take a right onto road #505, past Horseshoe Bend Guest Ranch, and follow road #505 until it dead-ends. The trailhead is above the water diversion structure. Another route to the lakes (the longer one) is to take the Horseshoe Bend Guest Ranch road. Public parking is provided at the bulletin board just across the bridge. Hike up the road to the beginning of the trail.

Plan Your Visit to Fryingpan Lakes #1921

Heading to Fryingpan Lakes #1921? A few things to know before you go:

• Reservations: popular sites fill up fast — check Recreation.gov 6 months in advance
• Fees: day-use and camping fees vary; check current rates on the official park page
• Trash & pack-out: follow Leave No Trace principles
• Wildlife: store food in bear boxes where provided; never feed wildlife
• Weather: the 5-day forecast above is updated every 6 hours; verify just before you go

References & Official Resources

• Official Recreation.gov page
• View on OpenStreetMap
• Driving directions (Google Maps)