A memorable road trip to Bear Lake in Huerfano County

Bear Lake is an alpine lake at an elevation of 3.202m (10,505ft) above the sea level, located in Huerfano County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Bear Lake

Can you drive to Bear Lake in Huerfano County?

Set high in the beautiful San Isabel National Forest, the road to the summit is totally unpaved. It’s called County Road 422 (FSR422). 4x4 vehicle required. Starting at the paved CO-12, the road to the lake is 8.36km (5.2 miles) long. It tops out at 3.242m (10,636ft) above the sea level.

Is the road to Bear Lake in Huerfano County open?

Located south of Cuchara, this road is usually impassable from late October through late June or early July (depending on snow). The drive is scenic, offering great views of the nearby Culebra Mountain Range. The road to the summit is very steep, hitting an 11% of maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting at CO-12, the ascent is 8.36km (5.2 miles) long. Over this distance the elevation gain is 378 meters. The average gradient is 4.52%.
Pic: dogbarbill

 

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