White River National Forest · Colorado

East Snowmass

7.3 mi of trail, end to end · native material surface · trail No. 1977 · trail class 3 · typical grade trail_grade · tread 18-24 inches wide · hiking, horse

Trailhead East Snowmass TH #1977 Drive there

East Snowmass TH #1977 the Forest Service's write-up

ALERTS:

• Bear canisters are required for all backpackers in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness.

• Advance reservation permits are required for overnight stays in the Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness Overnight Permit Zones.

Get Permits

The East Snowmass Trail begins ascending steeply and forks to the right in about one mile. The trail continues through spruce, aspen and pine forests for approximately 3 miles. It then breaks out into a meadow before continuing a moderately steep climb. There are some steeper sections that require caution. Once on East Snowmass Pass, the descent to Willow Lake is via switchbacks through a steep boulder field. The last mile meanders through rolling tundra to Willow Lake.

Restrictions <h4><a href="https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/whiteriver/recarea/?recid=81118">Maroon Bells - Snowmass Wilderness</a>&nbsp;regulations protect this special place:</h4><ul><li><strong>Overnight permit required&nbsp;</strong>for overnight stays within the&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fs.usda.gov%2FInternet%2FFSE_DOCUMENTS%2Ffseprd1083862.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C858b5b65c3e44f31eb4a08daf96f07b9%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C638096552521659688%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=eRHf4%2Fc7xcXGal93pYbLdbtvvXA9N4hqlqiJzF%2FMbps%3D&amp;reserved=0">Maroon Bells-Snowmass Wilderness Overnight Permit Zones</a>.</li><li><strong>Food, trash and any scented items must be stored in an&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fs.usda.gov%2FInternet%2FFSE_DOCUMENTS%2Ffseprd1029220.pdf&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C858b5b65c3e44f31eb4a08daf96f07b9%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C638096552521659688%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=ovvBLvxS%2BG%2BH0eqUr8rCPtx05BwOag4Ih6cdp4hfMcw%3D&amp;reserved=0">IGBC approved bear resistant container</a><strong>.&nbsp;</strong>Human food habituated bears are a threat to human safety. Visitors without approved bear resistant containers will be ticketed and required to leave.&nbsp;</li><li><strong>You must have a plan for human waste. Human waste bags (WAG) bags are highly recommended</strong>&nbsp;and are available free of charge at the Conundrum Creek and Snowmass Lake trailheads. WAG bags must be packed out.&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DBpiX07wPKgE%26feature%3Dyoutu.be&amp;data=05%7C01%7C%7C858b5b65c3e44f31eb4a08daf96f07b9%7Ced5b36e701ee4ebc867ee03cfa0d4697%7C0%7C0%7C638096552521659688%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=pxQ5Vr7wM7EA61DEY3UhzqG4o%2BUDYxC8G7IJUz4kUfM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">Learn more</a>&nbsp;about how to use a WAG bag. If a WAG bag is not used,&nbsp;visitors are required to deposit solid human waste in holes dug 6 to 8 inches deep at least 200 feet (70 paces) from water, camp and trails.</li><li><strong>Group size is limited to 10 with no more than 15 stock animals in one group</strong>. Large groups multiply impacts to the wilderness and disrupt the solitude of others.</li><li><strong>Dogs are prohibited</strong>&nbsp;in the Conundrum Creek Valley from Silver Dollar Pond to Triangle Pass, including the hot springs.&nbsp;<strong> Everywhere else, dogs must be leashed.</strong></li><li><strong>Campfires are prohibited </strong>at all designated sites at Conundrum Hot Springs, Capitol Lake, Crater Lake and above 10,800 feet including Snowmass Lake.&nbsp;Campfires consume wood, accumulate trash, kill fragile alpine vegetation, sterilize the soil and scar the land. Lightweight camp stoves are recommended.</li><li><strong>Campers must camp in designated sites</strong><strong> </strong>at Conundrum Hot Springs, Copper Lake, Crater Lake, Geneva Lake, Capitol Lake and Thomas Lakes.&nbsp;&nbsp;Everywhere else campers should set up more than 100 feet from lakes, streams and trails and use previously impacted campsites.&nbsp; Camp out of sight of others and away from fragile areas.</li><li><strong>As with all designated Wilderness, motorized and mechanized equipment is prohibited </strong>including bicycles, motorbikes, chainsaws, ATVs, carts, drones, hang gliders and paragliders.&nbsp;This equipment is prohibited to provide visitors with a primitive recreational experience and to preserve outstanding opportunities for solitude.</li></ul>

This hike on fs.usda.gov

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About this trail's facts

The lines are the US Forest Service's National Forest System trails layer (public domain), read 2026-10-16 and simplified for the map; the length is the line's, end to end, and the class, surface, grade and tread width are the forest's own entries where it publishes them - a forest that publishes the centreline alone has none. The trailheads and the points along the way are the Service's recreation points, and the write-ups its own recarea text, unedited. Heights come from USGS 3DEP through Terrain Tiles on AWS (Mapzen/Tilezen), read along each line and rounded; a short trail on steep ground can be off by a few tens of feet. Closures change: check the forest's own site before you go.