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Rolling trail with mountain views, water features, and wildflowers.


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Map Key

5.4

Miles

8.6

KM

84%

Runnable

10,967' 3,343 m

High

10,147' 3,093 m

Low

1,100' 335 m

Up

1,101' 336 m

Down

8%

Avg Grade (4°)

22%

Max Grade (13°)

Dogs Leashed

Features Commonly Backpacked · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Busy trailhead with limited parking; it fills up quickly on weekends. The second half of route remains snowy well into summer.

Overview

Moderate distance, rolling trail run hovering around 10,000 feet with spectacular view, lots of water features, an abundance of wildflowers, and wildlife.

Need to Know

Fourth of July Rd is 2WD but rough - high clearance suggested. Parking is limited and very busy on weekends.

Runner Notes

Rocky terrain, but relatively mild elevation.

Description

Start a the Fourth of July Trailhead and ascend the Arapaho Pass Trail west through a handful of mild to moderate cascades until you reach the Diamond Lake Trail cutoff at approximately the 1 mile mark.

The Diamond Lake Trail then heads south and descends to the North Fork Middle Boulder Creek at around 1.7 miles. There is a larger cascade slightly upstream that is worth a look.

From the creek, continue back uphill to the southeast through dense forest trail. Expect wet trails and potential snowpack well into summer. Route finding may be an issue with significant snow.

After the climb out of the creek valley, you'll reach a flat, wet meadow just northeast of the Diamond Lake. Continue to the lake, at which point, you may explore the perimeter of the lake. Be mindful of the campground directly west of the lake.

Flora & Fauna

Moose, deer, bear, trout, wildflowers.

Shared By:

Marc Monroe

Trail Ratings

  4.7 from 11 votes

#894

Overall
  4.7 from 11 votes
5 Star
73%
4 Star
27%
3 Star
0%
2 Star
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1 Star
0%
Recommended Route Rankings

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in Colorado

#894

Overall
17 Views Last Month
3,336 Since Jun 23, 2020
Intermediate Intermediate

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Photos

Indian Paintbrush and buttercup.
Oct 23, 2016 near Nederland, CO
Columbine on the trail up. This is what heaven looks like. It has to.
Oct 23, 2016 near Nederland, CO
South Arapaho Peak from Diamond Lake
Jun 25, 2020 near Nederland, CO
Waterfall feeding Diamond Lake
Jul 1, 2020 near Nederland, CO
Looking down the valley.
Oct 23, 2016 near Nederland, CO
Crossing a waterfall heading up the trail.
Oct 23, 2016 near Nederland, CO

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