Driving the Smuggler Mountain Road to Warren Lake near Aspen

Warren Lake is a high mountain lake at an elevation of 3,318m (10,885ft) above sea level, located in Pitkin County, in the U.S. state of Colorado.

Warren Lake

Where is Warren Lake?

The lake is located south of Aspen, in the central part of Colorado, within the White River National Forest.

Is the road to Warren Lake unpaved?

The road to the lake is totally unpaved. It’s called Smuggler Mountain Road (FSR #131). It’s a fairly well-maintained county 4WD road not heavily used.

How long is the road to Warren Lake?

The road to the lake is very steep, hitting a 21.1% maximum gradient through some of the ramps. Starting from Aspen, the road is 9.79km (6.08 miles) long. Over this distance, the elevation gain is 851 meters and the average gradient is 8.69%.

Is the road to Warren Lake open in winter?

Set high in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, the road is usually impassable from November through June.
Pic: Gavon Peck

 

 

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