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Hancock Lake
Trail Information
Highlights
Alpine tundra, pristine lakes, epic fishing and high mountain valleys are just some of the rewards that await at the end of the Hancock Lake Trail. The trail begins at the old townsite of Hancock, Colorado and from there heads south into the Chalk Creek Pass Valley. You will traverse through conifer forests, willows and tundra on your way toward the parking area that sits at just over 11,600' of elevation. A short hike from the parking area brings Lower Hancock Lake into view, and a more focused hike will take you to Upper Hancock Lake that sits just a bit higher in the valley. Be sure to respect this pristine area and pack out everything you pack in.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
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Trail Reviews
4.8/5 (20 reviews)
Status: Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 09/24/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On
Camped at Iron City Campground as a base camp. First time running this trail. Ran Pomeroy Lakes the day before. Very similar trails, but I think this trail was a little easier (and shorter). Rained a lot two days before so there was water running down the middle of the trail in places, but nothing significant. Liked Hancock Lake better than Pomeroy. Fishing wasn't productive at either location, but liked it enough to do it again.
Status: Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 06/18/2022
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On
I’ve driven this trail several times and enjoy it. Pretty rocky and bumpy most of the way up, on par with the rest of Colorado. The last half is more difficult than the first half. Today was the busiest I’ve seen it and the mosquitos were out in force. Oh and lots of hikers on the road as they do the CDT trail.
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