Gore Lake Trail

Gore Lake is the long day among the East Vail creek trails: 6 miles up the Gore Creek valley through the Eagles Nest Wilderness to a lake at 11,394 feet under the Gore Range crest, with about 2,900 feet of climbing, the steepest of it in the last 2 miles. The valley is aspen for the first stretch and the best fall-color hike in Vail, and the lake is far enough that the crowd thins to nothing.

From the Gore Creek trailhead at the east end of Vail, the trail follows Gore Creek east, climbing gently through aspen and spruce with the creek alongside, past the Deluge Lake junction near the start. The valley is broad and the walking is easy for about 4 miles, gaining about 1,600 feet so gradually that it hardly registers.

At about 4 miles the Gore Lake trail leaves the Gore Creek trail on the left, marked by the graves of the Recen brothers, two prospectors buried here in the 1890s. The lake trail climbs hard from there, about 1,000 feet in 2 miles, switchbacking up through the trees and then across open slopes and meadow to the lake at 11,394 feet, set in a bowl below the Gore peaks. Return the same way for 12.7 miles.

Take I-70 exit 180 for East Vail and follow Bighorn Road east about 2 miles to its end at the Gore Creek campground; the trailhead lot is just before the campground. It holds about 20 cars and fills by 7 AM on summer weekends, with the town bus stopping nearby as the alternative. No fee or permit for day use.

Dogs are allowed on leash in the wilderness. Not a kid hike at full length; the lower valley to the Recen graves is a fine 8-mile family walk. Carry a filter; the creek is beside the trail for 4 miles and the lake has water. The campsites at the lake make it a good first backpack, 100 feet from the water and no fires. Moose are common in the willows. Vail is 10 minutes away with every service. Pitkin Lake, the other big East Vail day, starts 2 miles west on the same frontage road, and the Vail hikes page lists the rest.