Judd Falls, Copper Lake and East Maroon Pass 
Distance: 2.1 - 12.9 miles (round trip)
Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness, Gunnison National Forest, near Crested Butte in Central Colorado
Looking toward East Maroon Pass
Judd Falls, Copper Lake and East Maroon Pass are all great destinations along the Copper Creek trail. The trail ascends to pretty Judd Falls and then heads up the Copper Valley to beautiful Copper Lake. Beyond the lake the path climbs to East Maroon Pass with fine views the peaks rising above the Copper and East Maroon Valleys.
See Trail Detail/Full Description
- Distance: 2.1 miles (round trip) to Judd Falls
10.8 miles (round trip) to Copper Lake
12.9 miles (round trip) to East Maroon Pass - Elevation: 9,600-ft. at Trailhead
9,890-ft. at Judd Falls
11,370-ft. at Copper Lake
11,820-ft. at East Maroon Pass - Elevation Gain: 290-ft. to Judd Falls
1,770-ft. to Copper Lake
2,220-ft. to East Maroon Pass - Difficulty: moderate-strenuous
- More Hikes in:
Crested Butte / Central Colorado
Why Hike Judd Falls, Copper Lake and East Maroon Pass
The Copper Creek trail features a trio of fine destinations: Judd Falls, Copper Lake and East Maroon Pass, appealing to range of hikers from casual walkers to backpackers. A popular, moderately-easy one mile walk heads up the trail to pretty Judd Falls cascading down a rugged gorge along Copper Creek.
Beyond the falls the trail to Copper Lake ascends on easy to moderate grades through forest and meadows with nice views of the peaks rising above the Copper Creek Valley. The ascent steepens over the last mile, reaching beautiful Copper Lake after a 5.4 mile hike. The lake is set amid a meadow clad bowl and surrounded by the rugged peaks towering above Copper Basin.
Extend the day hike by continuing to East Maroon Pass or turn the hike into a backpack by including visits to Copper Pass and Triangle Pass, which connects with the trail to Conundrum Hot Springs. East Maroon Pass is used by hikers traveling between Crested Butte and Aspen and features fine views of the high peaks of the Maroon Bells towering above the East Maroon Valley. One popular overnight option is the hike the loop around East Maroon, Cooper and Triangle Passes with side trip to the Hot Springs.
Elevation Profile
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Trail Resources
Trail Detail/Full Description / Trail Photo Gallery / Trail Map
Basecamp(s) Information:
Crested Butte
Region Information:
Central Colorado
Other Hiking Regions in:
Colorado