Lost Lakes
LOST LAKES
Near Crested Butte, CO
Lost Lakes are made up of 3 small lakes that rest just north of the East Beckwith Mountain. The location sits in a tranquil Aspen forest just off of the Keebler Pass and is a photographers & outdoor enthusiasts dream.
You do not have to stay at the campground to photograph or hike the area, but once you get here you will wish you were staying for a few days.
Images and location summary by Tim Wier
Trail Difficulty - MODERATE
I would rate the difficulty of this trail as a 1.5 on a scale of 1-5 (with 5 being most difficult). The hike to the location is a simple 300 yd. walk around the from the campground.
GPS Coordinates & Elevation
Downloads
View In Google earth
Directions
CLICK HERE to get driving directions to the Lost Lakes campground.
From Crested Butte - travel west on CO RD 12 (Kebler Pass) for about 16 miles until you get to the turn off for Lost Lake Campground. Take a left and travel on the dirt road for about 2 miles until you get to the campground. The best shots are on east side of the campground down by the lake.
Photography Tips
When you first visit Lost Lakes, you will be tempted to shoot from the ALT SITE location as it looks more appealing. However, I believe the best location to take this image is on the west side of the lake (PRIMARY LOCATION 38°52'08.3"N 107°12'13.0"W shown on the map). This is just a short walk around to the west side of the lake.
From a photography standpoint, this is mainly a straight forward shot - with different views based on where you stand around the lake. To get the shot above, the water needs to be perfectly still (with no wind) and the sun cannot be blocked by clouds. If you are lucky to have clouds in the sky, there are a great accent to the image.
This shot was taken 10 minutes after the stated sunrise (7:13 am on a day the stated sunrise was 7:03 am) as the sun illuminates the hill and mountain. My camera back was able to handle the dynamic range of the scene, but most times you will need to sho0t the sky several minutes before the landscape and composite the images.
EXIF Data
Focal Length – 35 mm
Exposure – 1 sec @ f 8.0
ISO – 100
Date – Sept 30th
Time – 7:13 am
Best Time of Day to Shoot
The shot above was taken at SUNRISE. Just as the sun begins to place the red glow on the mountain tops (around 6:57am in late September).
The way the lakes are set up with the East Beckwith Mountain (part of the Ruby Mountain Range) as a backdrop, you can shoot here almost any time of day. If you shoot at sunrise or sunset you can capture the early morning or evening glow on the mountains facing south. Personally, I prefer sunrise because it is usually the best chance of getting the lake completely still for reflections.
Best Time of Year
The Lost Lakes off of the Kebler Pass is one of the nicer locations in this area and can be viewed and photographed most times of the year (the Kebler pass is closed in the winter, thus access to the Lost Lakes is too). However, the best time for me is the during the fall color season (depending on the year – this ranges between the last week in Sept - 1st week in October). There is a nice Aspen grove in the mountains just beyond the lake that lights up the view.
The above shot was taken on September 30th
Lens(es) Needed
For most shots, you need a wide-angle lens (16-24mm). The shot above was done as a 3-horizontal pano stitch with a 24mm lens.
On a recent trip, I shot this as a 4 shot vertical pano with a 35mm equivalent lens.
Birds-Eye View
Permits
There are no permits required to shoot the Lost Lakes. However, the lakes are part of the Lost Lakes campground which requires permits/fees to spend the night.
Direction of the Shot
The shot is south by southwest – and depending on where you stand the shot between 190 – 220°.
Equipment Needed
No need for any special photography equipment - other than a tripod and potentially a polarizer unless you plan on doing a panoramic shot. If you arrive pre-dawn at this location in the fall, it is most likely to be cold – so make sure you bring appreciate clothes, hats and gloves.
Number of Other Photographers to Expect
As mentioned, this is one of the nicer locations in the area and the campground is almost always full. But, most of the people in the campsite are just there to take in the beauty and won’t be up before sunrise. That being said there are about 3-5 premium locations at sunrise –and the early bird gets the worm.
Weather
The weather in Colorado is normally mild in the summer, cold (lows in the 20’s) in the spring and fall. This location is almost 10,000 ft. elevation – so the temperatures are colder than most locations around this area.
Cell Service
I use Verizon and there is no cell service at the Lost Lakes.
Lodging & Camping
The Lost Lakes are part of a beautiful campground with about 20 or so sites. This very popular campsite is a first come – first serve fee based campground and is normally full during the open season (Mid-June – October). The cost $20 is per night.
Other campgrounds in the area are Lake Irwin Campground – about 12 miles east and Paonia State Park which is about 17 miles west off of CO 133.
The closest town is Crested Butte – which is about 18 miles away and has plenty of lodging. Keep in mind, Crested Butte is one of the most beautiful and desirable locations in Colorado and fills up quickly during the tourist season.
Camping - click on the campground below for directions
Lost Lake Campground – on location
Lake Irwin Campground - about 12 miles east on the Kebler Pass toward Crested Butte
Lodging - click on the lodging below for a TripAdvisor review
Lodge at Mountaineer Square
620 Gothic Road, Crested Butte, CO
Grand Lodge Crested Butte
6 Emmons Loop, Crested Butte, CO
Nearby Restaurants
The closest town is Crested Butte, home to plenty of very good eating and drinking establishments. It is a GREAT little town and one of my favorite places in all of Colorado. When in Crested Butte, make sure you stop by McGills or Butte Bagels for breakfast. They will both be busy but worth the wait. The secret for Butte Bagels is to call in your order and pick it up in the back.
For a nice Italian dinner, eat at Marchitelli's and for a great steak, try Elk Ave Prime (make sure you make a reservation for both).
Area Guides and Workshops
None