Tucked along the edge of a little-known piece of heaven—the Castle Peak Wilderness Study Area in Eagle County—Blue Lake is one of those special places that makes you feel fortunate to live in Colorado. With sparkling blue water, stands of deep green pines, and views to the mountains in the distance, the scenery at Blue Lake might give you the impression you have to hike 10 miles to earn such a pretty vista. But that’s not the case. Located near Wolcott—take Highway 131 north toward Steamboat Springs out of Wolcott, then a left on Horse Mountain Road; you’ll fork right onto Horse Mountain Road 54 and then continue onto Horse Mountain Road 8500 before forking left onto Road 8510—the lake is on Bureau of Land Management property, which means you can navigate your four-wheel-drive vehicle (stay on designated trails) to within about 100 yards of the banks. We suggest you visit sometime this summer.

This article was originally published in 5280 Traveler 2014.
Lindsey B. King
Lindsey B. King
Lindsey B. King was the magazine’s editor from 2021 to 2024. She is currently a Denver-based writer and editor.