Backpacking at South Colony Lakes

A Must-Do Overnight Hike in Colorado

Nestled at the base of Humboldt Peak, a prominent 14er (a mountain whose distinct peak surpasses 14,000 feet in altitude) in the Sangre de Cristo Mountains in southern Colorado, lies a less notable but equally (if not more) beautiful feature: Upper South Colony Lake. The standard route to the summit of Humboldt Peak takes you to a junction approximately a tenth of a mile from the lake's access point. The 14er is definitely the main attraction of the trail; while we were there, we saw several people aiming for the summit, but only a handful of travelers detoured to the lake, despite its close proximity.

While most people summit Humboldt and return to their car in a single day, I highly recommend that you spend the night at this scenic lake.

Hike Details

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This trail follows the standard route for Humboldt Peak until just before the lake, so if bagging that peak is already on your list, I highly recommend making a pit stop here first. It is definitely achievable for experienced hikers in a single out-and-back push; however, hiking to the lake, setting up camp, and summitting the mountain the following morning before descending to the car makes for a very enjoyable weekend.

The information about the hike to Upper South Colony Lake from the trailhead is as follows:

Distance: 9.2 miles

Difficulty: Hard (according to AllTrails)

Elevation gain: 2,310 feet

Type of Hike: Out & Back

More trail information and crowdsourced reviews can be found here.

Camping Considerations

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There was one designated campsite at Upper South Colony Lake. There were three of us with varying sizes of tents, and we fit comfortably with a designated spot for meals. I think we could have fit one or maybe even two more tents, especially if all of them were on the small side. As this lake is above tree line, hammock camping is not a feasible option for this site.

There is also the option to car camp in the trailhead parking area or on the road leading to the parking area, which we saw several people doing.

All three of us brought hard-sided food containers for overnight camping, and I'm glad we did. Even though bears don't generally traverse to that altitude, I watched a group of marmots messing with our canisters while we were hanging out on a rock by the lake. The rodents in this area are conditioned and motivated to get into whatever human food they can find, and there are no trees to hang your food from, so unless you plan to keep all of your food on you at all times, bear canisters are your best defense. For an overnight trip like this, I'd suggest the BV425 canister, as it is the smallest and most lightweight of all the canisters.

Weather at altitude can be unpredictable, so be prepared for cold or rainy overnight conditions.

Adding Humboldt Peak to the Trip

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I absolutely recommend bagging this 14er if you're already doing this hike. The junction to continue up the mountain is only 0.1 miles from the lake, and it only adds a little over 2 miles roundtrip to the journey. However, it also adds about 2,000 feet of vertical gain (all of which are in the mile going up to the summit), so it is definitely strenuous.

The first half of the hike from the lake to the summit is a series of easily-followable switchbacks, but after cresting the saddle, it can get hard to find the route. I was grateful to have the map downloaded on AllTrails, as I definitely mis-identified the route and could have found myself in a sketchy position if I hadn't double-checked. While the free AllTrails app supplies maps, AllTrails+ allows users to download maps offline, and I like having that feature.

It can get super windy from the saddle to the summit. I had to use my Buff to secure the hood of my sun hoodie to my head, and there were times we had to stop hiking to find the best-balanced footing to prevent the wind from knocking us over.

Because so much of the hike is above tree line, beware of afternoon storms in the summer. Mountain weather can be unpredictable, but it's generally safer to be back below tree line by early afternoon, as summer thunderstorms are common afternoon occurrences. That's another reason to consider camping at the lake; 2 miles + 4.5 miles back to the car is a lot more manageable in the morning or early afternoon than all 11 miles.

Planning Considerations

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The Sangre de Cristo Mountains are a fairly considerable drive from Denver. From my house, the trailhead for this hike is approximately 3.5 hours away. Don't expect to drive from Denver and get a sunrise start unless you're leaving reeeeally late at night.

The trailhead requires 4WD and high clearance to access. An AllTrails review from May 2026 says, "Did I take a [Subaru] Crosstrek to the trailhead? Yes. Should I have? Probably not. Will I do that again? No." I was very grateful to have my Tacoma for this drive. There is an accessible lot that accommodates any car 2.7 miles from the trailhead (which adds 5.4 miles roundtrip), but it does not permit overnight parking, so if you're planning on doing this hike as a backpacking trip, I suggest finding a friend with a more rugged vehicle.

There is a common misconception that if you can see the original source of water, you don't need to filter it. That is simply not true. We could see the snow melting into the lake, but it is absolutely vital to properly filter water to avoid water-bourn illnesses like giardia. I'm a big fan of the Katadyn BeFree and the Platypus QuickDraw filters.

As always, remember to follow Leave No Trace principles. Pack out any trash that you generate or find; I even packed out an entire tattered tent that I saw left behind in the brambles. Stay on designated trails where possible; especially above tree line, fragile alpine vegetation can be heavily impacted by off-trail travel. Follow proper bathrooming techniques; educate yourself on how to alleviate your needs in a way that keeps the trail healthy and beautiful for other travelers.

Would you add this backpacking trip to your list?

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