Mount Elbert Lodge

PO Box 40 - Twin Lakes Colorado - 81251

Reservations: 800-381-4433 or 719-486-0594

Join us for your exploration of Leadville and Aspen.

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About our area

Bed and Breakfast common area with fireplace at Mount Elbert Lodge

The Lake Creek valley, where Mt. Elbert Lodge is located, provides access to Independence Pass - one of Colorado's highest paved passes. Situated in San Isabel National Forest, four miles west of Twin Lakes, the Lodge is surrounded by several 14,000 ft. peaks. You may hike to the top of Colorado's highest peak, Mt. Elbert, right from your cabin door. While nestled in the woods, the Lodge provides easy access to a variety of exciting recreational and historic sites, including Aspen and the ghost town of Independence(summer only), Twin Lakes Recreation Area, and Leadville Mining museum.

Mt. Elbert Lodge is open year-round allowing you to experience all four seasons in the high country. In the winter, guests enjoy cross country skiing and snowshoeing on nearby mountain trails or travel a short distance for downhill skiing. Springtime brings forth the awakening of mountain wild flowers, migration of elk herds, and hiking access to the mountain trails. A summer agenda may include fishing, boating, biking, rafting, horseback riding, hiking and climbing. Or stay with in the fall when the aspen turn from green to gold and hiking is at its best as even the highest trails become accessible. Any time of year has its own beauty at 9,700 ft. up in the mountains.

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If you visit any of the merchants listed below, please mention that you heard about them through Mount Elbert Lodge.

Hiking Trails

The Twin Lakes - Leadville area is criss-crossed with trails that will take you along mountain streams, into the abandoned mining district or up some of Colorado's highest peaks, Mt. Elbert, Mt. Massive, La Plata and others. We have included links to some information about some of the trails and will be adding our own descriptions for others as time goes along.

Interlaken Trail

Difficulty level: easy

Time to hike: less than 1 hour to Interlaken Resort

Directions to Trailhead:

From Mount Elbert Lodge drive 10 miles east (down the valley) on Hwy 82. Take the first dirt road (This road does not have a sign on it, there is a cabin type house on the left side of the road where you are turning right onto this dirt road.) to the south below Lake Creek as it crosses Hwy. 82 below the lakes. Follow this road back along the lake as far as possible. Park in the sagebrush field and find the sign that says "Colorado Trail".

Trail description:

This is an easy hike that takes you to the turn of the century resort of Interlaken. Interlaken is now abandoned but restoration work continues on the buildings. Walk west up the hill, traveling parallel to the lake. The first section of this trail is also part of the Colorado Trail. About 1 mile in, the Colorado Trail makes a sharp left and starts to climb. For Interlaken, proceed along the lower trail to the old resort. The trail rolls along the edge of Twin Lakes and offers wonderful views of Mt. Elbert.
BLM Interlaken restoration information

North Fork of Lake Creek Trail (also the trail to Blue Lake and Saddle Lake):

Difficulty level: easy (medium to Blue Lake (12,460 ft), medium to Saddle Lake (12,400 ft)

Time to hike: about 2 hours up to Blue Lake, 3 hours to Saddle Lake

Directions to trailhead:

From Mount Elbert Lodge drive 8.1 miles west (up the valley) on Hwy 82. Just before the first tight switchback, pull off the highway to the right on a dirt road (there has been a sign for North Fork of Lake Creek), drive in 50 yards to a gate and park.

Trail description:

This trail starts as a jeep road and quickly turns into a trail. It goes up the bottom of the North Fork of Lake Creek valley with timbered slopes on your left and the bare slopes of Mount Champion on your right. The stream is lined with willows and there are a lot of brook trout in the stream. In early and mid summer there are wonderful fields of flowers along the trail. The trail to Blue Lake cuts off to the left just after you cross the stream once you've entered the wilderness area. The Blue Lake trail is not well marked and it fairly steep while going up through the timber. The main trail continues up the north fork and the head of the valley splits into 2 valleys. Take the right hand (east) fork and the trail gets steeper just as you approach Saddle Lake. Just 100 yards beyond Saddle Lake is the Continental Divide (12,420 ft) and you can look into the Fryingpan drainage of the west slope. These lakes tend to thaw out in late June and from ice out to early October can be great cutthroat trout fishing.

Black Cloud Trail (one of the routes to Mount Elbert):

Difficulty level: medium

Time to hike: 1 hour to first stream crossing, 2 hours to tree line, 8- 12 hours round trip to Mount Elbert.

Directions to Trailhead:

Black Cloud is the shortest and steepest of the 3 routes up Mount Elbert. This trail starts 100 yards east of Mount Elbert Lodge. Turn into the small drive way on the north side of the road where there is parking for space for 3 or 4 cars. After about an hour you will cross the stream, then a second stream crossing 200 yards further. For the first 2 hours this is a good trail, a bit steep in places but nothing technical. Once above tree line, the trail becomes quite steep as it climbs a scree slope up to the ridge that leads to South Mount Elbert. For those who want to climb to the top of Mount Elbert, the round trip usually takes our guests 8-12 hours.

Mineral Belt Trail:

The Mineral Belt trail is a loop around the Leadville Mining District that is great for strolling, biking, x-country skiing or snowshoeing.

Winter Sports

Snowshoeing and Cross or Back country Skiing

The Mount Elbert area is a great place to snowshoe or ski as there are trails for every experience level. If you stay with us we do have a limited number of snowshoes available for rent or you may rent them and all cross-country equipment from:

The Trailhead (in Buena Vista) 719-395-8001. These great folks rent snowshoes, cross-country and downhill ski equipment. They are right on your way if you are coming to visit us from the south.

Downhill Skiing

While you enjoy the solitude and quiet of the Twin Lakes area it is just a 45 minute drive to Ski Cooper, Lake County's small family mountain or an hour and 15 minute drive will drop you into the hustle and bustle of Vail, Beaver Creek or Copper Mountain Ski areas.

Horseback Riding

Our guest's favorite folks to ride with are:
Mega Mountain Magic (north of Leadville) 719-486-4570
Mount Princeton Stables (west of Nathrop) 719-395-6498
Harvard City Stables (west of Buena Vista) 719-395-4000. Providing the highest quality mountain horse rides in the Buena Vista, Colorado area for over 17 years.

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Water Sports

Again based on guest feedback:
Wilderness Aware Rafting Buena Vista Colorado, 800-462-7238, A great group of folks, they have whitewater rafting tours for all skill levels including families and have one of the best safety records in the industry.
Twin Lakes Canoe and Kayak Twin Lakes Colorado, 719-251-9961, Just like the name sounds, these folks rent Canoes and Kayaks for use on Twin Lakes. Open typically from Memorial Day to Labor Day.

Mountain Biking

Forest Service   list of mountain bike trails in our area.
Mineral Belt Trail:  The Mineral Belt trail is a loop around the Leadville Mining District that is great for strolling, biking, x-country skiing or snowshoeing.
The Trailhead  - P.O. Box 2023; 707 Hwy 24 North; Buena Vista, CO; 81211 phone: 719-395-8001; fax: 719-395-8002 bicycle rentals and outdoor specialties.

Train Rides

The Leadville, Colorado & Southern Railroad. (719) 486-3936 - Discover a hidden gem high above the clouds in the Colorado Rocky Mountains...
The Georgetown Loop Railroad 1-888-4-LOOP-RR (1-888-456-6777) Ride behind a steam powered locomotive through the Colorado Rocky Mountains, over the loop's high trestle. This train is about one and a half hour drive from the lodge.

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Museums

Buena Vista Heritage Museum - 511 E. Main St. - 719-395-8458
National Mining Hall of Fame and Museum. Open daily May through October 9-5, Monday through Friday November through April 10-2, winter weekends by appointment. 120 W. 9th Street, P O Box 981, Leadville, CO 80461 - 719-486-1229. Fee.
The Matchless Mine. 414 W. 7th Street, Leadville, CO 80461 719- 486-3900 or 719-486-1899. Guided above ground tour of the mine associated with Horace and Baby Doe Tabor.
Tabor Opera House
Leadville Fish Hatchery
Healy House Museum
Ghost towns up the Clear Creek valley

Restaurants

Please mention Mount Elbert Lodge when you call for reservations at any of these restaurants.
Windspirit Cafe - Twin Lakes 719-486-8138 - Summer only
Twin Lakes Bed and Bistro - Twin Lakes 719-486-1830 - Formerly The Nordic Inn and then Inn of the Black Wolf. Just 4 miles away in Twin Lakes, The business is closed at this time. We do not know what their summer schedule will be.
Casa del Sol - Buena Vista 719-395-8810 - Capture the flavor of an old Southwest adobe hacienda (our favorite Mexican dining in Buena Vista.)
Zichittella's Italian "Little Italy meets historic Leadville" - Leadville 719-486-1298
Tennessee Pass Cookhouse A unique dining experience 719-486-1750
Tennessee Pass Cafe - Leadville 719-486-8101
Jan's Smoke Free Restaurant - Buena Vista 719-395-6940

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Jeep Rentals

Mountain High Rentals - 719-486-1338
Crazy Horse Jeep Rental - 1-(800) 888-7320; 719-395-2323; 33975 Hwy 24 Buena Vista
St. Elmo General Store - 719-395-2117
Nova Guides (Vail valley) - 888-949-6682