“Not all those who wander are lost.” Maybe you’ve seen that phrase on a T-shirt or heard it in J.R.R. Tolkien’s “The Fellowship of the Ring.” Either way, one of the best things to do in Colorado is hike to a “Lost Lake.” There are more than a dozen lakes with that name spread out across the state.
The closest one to the Denver metro area is Lost Lake near Nederland, on the edge of the Indian Peaks Wilderness. This hike is so popular that there’s a free shuttle bus on Fridays, weekends and holidays in the summer.
Boulder County
Free Hessie Trailhead Shuttle begins service — here are some trails to explore
For most hikers, the route starts outside the small Town of Eldora at a small bend in the road, called the Hessie Trailhead.
Walk along the dirt Hessie Road a short distance and you’ll see a small trail on your right. You can hike the road or you can take the side trail through the trees. The side trail is a little shorter, and it winds on a boardwalk through the forest, before coming back out on the road. (The road typically has deep water that hikers want to avoid, but during the drought of 2026, it was mostly dry). The side trail also passes a scenic pond that often reflects the nearby scenery…