West of the Divide (Arapaho National Forest)

Indian Peaks Wilderness Area west of the Continental Divide has only one destination that is close to a road. Although you must walk a ways to reach most hiking goals, the effort is worth it. To exaggerate the splendor of the west side of Indian Peaks is difficult. The entire area defies hyperbole, yet most of the hiking traffic here funnels into one trail system.

Four of the six Indian Peaks trail systems west of the Divide are reached from CR 6 (NFSR 125.1) south of Lake Granby. To reach this road drive along US 34 to a point 11 miles south of the town of Grand Lake and 6 miles north of the town of Granby. Turn east onto the unpaved road, which winds generally east along the south shore of Lake Granby to Arapaho Bay Campground and Monarch Lake.

After about 9 miles the unpaved road crosses a bridge over the narrow neck of the southernmost tip of Lake Granby. Past the bridge NFSR 125.1 branches left (north) 0.8 mile to the beginning of the Roaring Fork Trail System. Past the left-hand branch to Roaring Fork, the unpaved NFSR 125.1 bends right (south) and dead-ends after approximately 1 mile at a parking lot a short distance from Monarch Lake (see Buchanan Pass Trail, Cascade Trail to Pawnee Pass, and Arapaho Pass Trail).

Regulations for wilderness use in the national forest are not terribly different from regulations instituted to protect the national park backcountry. National forest regulations require backcountry camping permits. For more information see National Park and National Forest—Two Administrative Styles.