Harvard Lakes Trail is a 3 mile moderately trafficked out and back trail located near Buena Vista, Colorado that features a lake and is rated as moderate. The trail offers a number of activity options and is best used from March until November. Dogs and horses are also able to use this trail.
dog friendly
kid friendly
birding
hiking
nature trips
trail running
walking
horseback riding
forest
lake
views
wild flowers
Two small beautiful lakes hidden at the base of Mt Columbia From the trailhead go south along the old logging road. When the road takes a sharp turn right (West) you will see a path continuing south. This is the key to this trail. Once you find this trail the rest is easy. After the trail crosses Three Elks Creek it will begin to turn west and lead you up the East side of Mt. Columbia. This trail will meet with the Colorado Trail just North of Harvard Lakes. Turn left onto the Colorado trail for about 100 yards to reach the upper lake, continue on the trail a short ways to reach the lower lake.
Most cars cannot drive all the way to the trail head which adds about 1.6 miles total (there and back).
Also, when you reach the junction with the Colorado trail, go left and the lakes are about .1 miles from there. Otherwise you'll head in the wrong direction and miss the lakes -- a mistake we learned the hard way.
Overall, a beautiful hike. Much of it follows a nice stream, and the views at the lake are gorgeous.
Just did this hike on the 11th of June, but didn't go all the way to the lakes. First off, the road off the main road to the trail head is ugly. Don't see anyone getting up that stretch with anything but a high clearance vehicle. Once you start the hike, the trail is nice for about the first 1/2 mile or so. Then it is just straight up the mountain with no switchbacks at all. Steep as can be, and rocky too. Not my favorite trail for sure. It was pretty warm by the time we got over here that day too, so that didn't help. Switchbacks across that ridge line up there would have made this a much nicer hike. Maybe another time when it's cooler, I'll go at this again.
The lakes at the top were well worth the hike up. Only thing is that the road to the trail head is a service road - about 0.8mile up so keep that in mind if you have a tiny car like ours.
The first mile was a doozey! It was steep with cliffs that made my stomach a little oozey. But after that it was a more steady incline - not so steep. It was a nice walk in the woods. The lake was small. It only took us a few minutes to walk around it but there was not really anyplace to get close to it and rest. The road to get to the trail head was more of a four wheel drive road although we made it up there in a sedan.
Great short hike. Took us about 2 hours and got to take out time to explore both lakes. The trail head has a sign for 3 Elk trail #1445. Once you hit the Colorado trail head left to the first smaller lake then a little father to the bigger one. Nice trail around the bigger lake.
Short but steep. Ends at two beautiful lakes. Definitely worth it. Final 1/3 of the trial was snowpacked in early May but did not require snow shoes.
Add the county road to your hike unless you have an atv. Still too much snow to make it the whole way to the lake without snowshoes.
So gorgeous! Mostly uphill on the way to the lakes- definitely worth it. I hiked it yesterday and only saw two other people the entire time. Quiet and so beautiful.