The Cottonwood Creek drainage just west of Buena Vista is an area rich with mining history, alpine lakes, wildlife and an opportunity to travel off the beaten path in Central Colorado. The Jones Mountain/Ptarmigan Lake trail offers unique access to Ptarmigan Lake from an off-road trail and the ascen...Read More
The Cottonwood Creek drainage just west of Buena Vista is an area rich with mining history, alpine lakes, wildlife and an opportunity to travel off the beaten path in Central Colorado. The Jones Mountain/Ptarmigan Lake trail offers unique access to Ptarmigan Lake from an off-road trail and the ascent up Jones Mountain will not disappoint . You will travel to 12,500' of elevation, high on the side of the mountain with incredible views from the backside of Mount Princeton and the South Cottonwood Creek valley below. Make sure to bring your fishing gear as Ptarmigan Lake is a short hike and has a good population of Native Cutthroat trout.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Trail Guide Overview
6 Waypoints
20 Trail Photos
1 Trail Concerns
42 Community Reviews
1 Video
Trail Tools
Open in App
Upload to Gaia GPS
Download GPX
Directions to...
Share Trail
Print Trail
Start a 7-Day Free Trial and Unlock 5,000+ Trail Guides
By clicking "ACCEPT", you agree to be the terms and conditions of each policy linked to above. You also agree to the storing of cookies on your device to facilitate the operation and functionality of our site, enhance and customize your user experience, and to analyze how our site is used.