Leave No Trace
Overview
| Wilderness One Way Length Beginning Elevation Peak Elevation Gain/Loss/Net Gain Ratings USFS Regulations Trails Illustrated Quadrangle |
Rawah 1.1 miles (from the Rawah Trail to Twin Crater Lakes) 10,482 11,046 628/64/+564 Hikers – Easy; Stock Riders – Challenging Wilderness #112 Poudre River, Cameron Pass Clark Peak, Boston Peak, Rawah, Chambers |
Location
This trail is accessed via the Rawah (South) Trail and West Branch trails. Drive up the Poudre Canyon for 51.6 miles from Ted’s Place, turn right on the Laramie River Road (CR-103) at mm 71.5, and proceed 7.8 miles to the West Branch parking area, a short distance north of the Tunnel Campground. The West Branch Trail begins about 100 yards south of the parking area and heads west along a ditch road.
| GPS Coordinates Jct. Rawah Trail Twin Crater Lakes |
N40°39.599’ W105°55.604’ N40°38.830’ W105°56.465’ |
Description
This trail is best accomplished as an overnight trip. Hike up the West Branch Trail, passing the junction with the Camp Lake Trail after about 2.7 miles. After another 0.9 mile you will come to a junction with the southern end of the Rawah Trail. Proceed up the Rawah Trail and through a series of steep switchbacks about 0.6 mile to the Twin Crater Lakes trailhead. While in this area, you can make a steep side trip to Bench Lake.
If you’re feeling ambitious, you can climb the ridge to the north of lower Twin Crater Lake and check out Rockhole Lake before returning to Twin Crater Lakes and then hiking back to the Rawah Trail and then the West Branch Trail.
Alternately, from Bench Lake you can continue cross-country to the south-southwest to Rockhole Lake and then drop down to the south to Twin Crater Lakes. From here you would hike down the Twin Crater Lakes Trail to the Rawah Trail and then out via the West Branch Trail.
