Top 5 Lakes around Leadville

The more northern miles of Turquoise Lake Trail (the section past the campsites) are known for being the rootier, rockier, hillier, and more technical portions of trail. With rocky access down to the shore at the end towards May Queen Campground, the rest of this section of trail stays in the trees crossing creeks and bridges.

Diamond and Mountain Lake are actually two reservoirs that provide water to the town of Leadville. This road junction with the Birds Eye Gulch Jeep Road offers great views down the valley. The basin gets a lot of water, and there can be acres of wildflowers up here sometimes. Being mining country, the roads out here aren't crazy steep (sometimes they are), but they are usually super rocky. Most all of the roads are runnable, but keep your eyes on your feet.

Buckeye Lake is a hidden gem just outside of Leadville. This alpine lake sits above treeline and views over onto the Mosquito Range. If you are looking for an extra challenge and have good route finding skills, you can make your way up the hillside and tackle the 12,871 foot Buckeye Peak directly north of the lake. You can then connect over to the Sangree Hut Winter Ski Trail and loop back down to the creek. The running once up on Chicago is great as far as off-trail running goes.

The more northern miles of Turquoise Lake Trail (the section past the campsites) are known for being the rootier, rockier, hillier, and more technical portions of trail. With rocky access down to the pebble shore at the end towards May Queen Campground, the rest of this section of trail stays in the trees crossing creeks and bridges. This is a fun section of running away from the more crowded southern portion of trail.

The first half of the Turquoise Lake Trail passes by multiple USFS campgrounds, fishing areas, boat ramps, public beaches, picnic spots, and viewing areas. There is a separate singletrack trail system maintained by the Cloud City Wheelers branching into the main Turquoise Lake Trail within the first couple miles, and there are continuous views as you dive in and out of the trees. There is some slight up and down, but this trail is mostly flat (or as flat as you can find around here) and a good trail to run if you aren't looking to get a lot of uphills.

Hayden Meadows is a heavily used Forest Service area. There are restrooms next to the parking lot and signage posted at the trailhead. The area is known for its trout fishing in the Arkansas headwaters. There is also a small reservoir right next to the parking area. This is an especially great trail in the winter and spring months. While the rest of the high valley is covered in snow, Hayden Meadows often sees dry stints. The trail on the east side of the river is quieter and includes more singletrack. The side of the meadows next to the highway is a bit louder and less scenic, but it is really flat and can be good for faster running.

Diamond and Mountain Lake are actually two reservoirs that provide water to the town of Leadville. This road junction with the Birds Eye Gulch Jeep Road offers great views down the valley. The basin gets a lot of water, and there can be acres of wildflowers up here sometimes.

Hayden Meadows is a heavily used Forest Service area. There are restrooms next to the parking lot and signage posted at the trailhead. The area is known for its trout fishing in the Arkansas headwaters. There is also a small reservoir right next to the parking area. This is an especially great trail in the winter and spring months. While the rest of the high valley is covered in snow, Hayden Meadows often sees dry stints. The trail on the east side of the river is quieter and includes more singletrack. The side of the meadows next to the highway is a bit louder and less scenic.