East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake Hike Guide
East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake is a popular hike located just outside of Crested Butte, Colorado. This out and back hike brings hikers past popular Judd Falls then on to a beautiful alpine lake and finally to East Maroon Pass. Almost this entire hike is in the Maroon Bells Wilderness Area and makes for a great day hike, trail run or short backpacking trip. If you are looking for a beautiful seasonal hike near Crested Butte, you will not want to miss this one!
East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake Quick Facts
Virtual Trail Guide: East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake
East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake Rating: ★★★★★ (5/5 Stars)
Distance: 14 Miles RT from Lower TH, 12 Miles RT from Upper TH – subtract 2 miles RT if not hiking up East Maroon Pass
Elevation Start: 9,849 (Upper TH), 9,585 (Lower TH)
High Point: 11,835ft (Pass) 11,321 (Lake)
Total Elevation Gain: 2,445ft (Upper TH), 2,845 (Lower TH)
Estimated Time to Complete: 5-6 Hours RT
Difficulty: Moderate What does this mean?
Class: Class 1- What does this mean?
Season: June – October (Expect road closure and no TH access outside of this period)
Directions to East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake
Trailhead: Judd Falls/Copper Creek
Getting Here: From Mt Crested Butte, head out of town on Winterset Drive towards Gold Link Dr. Take Gothic Road which will eventually turn into CO Rd 317 for 4.7 miles until you reach another dirt road and the small parking area on the left. If you have a moderate clearance AWD car, you can continue up another ¾ of a mile or so for a much smaller parking area.
Parking: There are two main parking areas for Judd Falls. The main area off CO Rd 317 has a non-plumbing bathroom and room for 20 or so cars. The upper TH is much smaller (room for only 3-5 cars) with no restrooms.
Fee: None
Summary
Dogs: This hike is dog friendly but with lots of other dogs for the first half mile. The rest of the hike enters the Maroon Bells Wilderness, so please keep dogs on a leash.
Camping: The best spot to camp on this hike would be further along CO Rd 317 as there are no legal camping areas near the TH or along the upper TH road. If you wanted to hike in and camp, there are 10 marked spots along Copper Lake that are first come, first serve. Please be sure to always follow Wilderness camping regulations.
Hike X Factor(s): Creek Crossings
If you check out the virtual trail guide, you will see several creek crossing during the hike to Copper Lake. If you are here later in the season, these will likely not be a problem to get across. However, earlier in the summer or during Monsoon Season, these streams could equal wet feet or no crossing options. Be sure to bring extra socks or take off your shoes if you don’t like hiking with wet feet.
Hike Tip(s): On your hike up to both the lake and pass, be sure to make the very small side trip to check out Judd Falls. If you are looking for a great fall foliage hike, this is a FANTASTIC option with plenty of aspens along the trail. Finally, if heading here earlier in the summer – be aware that snow above 10,000ft will linger until early and sometimes later into July. Be prepared with the right gear if you are planning a hike before or during this time period.
Best Views: The best views on this hike are just above Copper Lake on your way up to East Maroon Pass. If you head up to the pass, looking for some social trails on your right to get the best views of Pyramid Peak and the valley below.
East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake Hike Route
Gear Needed
- Men’s Trail Runners
- Women’s Trail Runners
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Men’s)
- La Sportiva Trango Hiking Boots (Women’s)
- Backpack (Winter)
- Backpack (Summer)
- Food & Water
- Optional: Garmin inReach
- Optional: Hiking Poles – 120CM
- Optional: Headlamp
- Optional: Garmin Fenix Watch
- Optional: GoPro, Joby Tripod, GoPro 360
- Optional: Drone
- *Links included in this description might be affiliate links. If you purchase a product or service with the links that I provide I may receive a small commission. There is no additional charge to you.
Our Trip to East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake: September 2022
I was just a few weeks post my Leadville 100 Run and wanted to see if my body was fully recovered for a longer hike. We had not done a ton of hikes in Crested Butte and this one looked beautiful. East Maroon Pass & Copper Lake exceeded my expectations and turned into a fantastic day in the mountains. Aria did great, Jackie enjoyed it (even though her feet got wet) and I was so happy with how strong and recovered my body felt. I would easily go back to this one to explore more trails in the area.
