Mount Sopris

Cappie’s Scoop: I didn’t make it to the top – it was rock central! But that’s okay because the rest of the trail was a lot of fun and there were lots of alpine lakes along the way! That was the best part for me, swimming in the lake! While I was swimming in the lake, there were some hoomans trying to catch some fish. I told them I was sorry if I scared them away but I had to jump in for a swim! I also passed some nice hoomans fixing the trail to make it better to hike on it so I thanked them for helping keep the trail nice. Don’t hesitate to add YOUR scoop in the comments below!

Tips: Check the weather before you go, start early and plan for steep rocky parts once you pass Thomas Lakes. We didn’t make it to the peak standing at 12,965 ft due to the weather and thought best to turn around before an afternoon storm. We also recommend hiking poles for stability in the rocky areas. The good news is that this peak shares the same trailhead as Thomas Lakes so if you need to shorten your hike, you can plan to just swim in the lakes with your dog! Also, you can obtain a free self-serve overnight permit at the trailhead for camping. We passed 13 camp sites near the lakes that would make an awesome backpacking trip.

Directions: From the town of Carbondale, head south on highway 133 and turn left (east) onto Prince Creek Road (Co Rd 111). Follow this road for about 5 miles or so which turns into a dirt road (closed in the winter) until you come to an intersection which may be confusing. Keep right to follow Dinkle Lake Rd to Dinkle Lake. In about 2 miles, the parking area will be on your left before you reach Dinkle Lake.