Lost Man Trail

Dogs Leashed

Features Lake · River/Creek · Views · Wildflowers · Wildlife

With two cars, you can run the full Lost Man Trail (#1996) as a point to point in either direction, passing multiple alpine lakes with high peaks all around. The route is excellent as a day hike or a backpacking trip, with campsites and fishing spots beside each of the lakes.

It's best to set up a car shuttle for this point-to-point, but you can also try your luck with hitchhiking in between the trailheads. Permits are not required for hiking or camping, but wilderness regulations apply. Fishing is allowed in Independence Lake, Lost Man Lake, and Lost Man Reservoir with a Colorado state fishing license.

This description is from the lower trailhead, which is across the road from Lost Man Campground. You could instead start from the upper trailhead near Independence Pass and run this in reverse.

Lost Man Trail (#1996) begins to the left of the bulletin board and quickly crosses a wooden bridge. At the 0.25 mile mark the trail forks. Take the right branch (the left goes to Midway Pass) and continue to Lost Man Reservoir. Stay left around the reservoir. At approximately the 4 mile mark there is a junction, turn right (left goes to South Fork Pass). The trail gradually ascends to Lost Man Lake. From the Lake, the trail ascends steeply to the top of the pass and then descends steeply to Independence Lake. The trail descends gradually to Highway 82.