Our Keen Life
Trail Guide · Colorado

Heart Lake

Amber's birthday ride — 26 miles of Colorado high country that never drops below 10,000 feet. Free GPX below.

Distance
—
Elevation Gain
—
High Point
—
Difficulty
Moderate
Best Season
Summer–Fall
Download GPX Track Get onX — 30% Off
Imports straight into onX Offroad, Gaia, Garmin, or Google Earth. This is our actual recorded track — not a traced line — so it's where we really went, wrong turns and all.

Elevation Profile

Where the climbing actually happens.

Trail Notes

This one was Amber's birthday ride, and it's a proper long day — 26 miles out in country that stays above 10,000 feet the entire way. The climbing is spread out rather than brutal, about 2,000 feet of gain across the whole route, so it's more endurance than technical difficulty.

Altitude is the real story here. You top out at 11,419 ft and never drop below roughly 10,300. Weather turns fast up there, afternoon storms are routine in summer, and there is no quick way down. Start early and watch the sky.

What to expect

Before you go

Check current conditions in onX or with the local ranger district. High-country routes open late and close early, and snow lingers at these elevations well into summer. A gate that was open last month may not be today.

What we ran it in

A 2024 Can-Am Maverick R XRS on DRT armor, and Amber's X3. Full parts list on The Rigs if you're curious what held up.

Leave it better

Stay on the designated route, pack out everything you brought, and yield uphill. These trails stay open because riders don't give anyone a reason to close them.