Though wildfires were ravaging various parts of the state in early July, the northern mountains were largely spared – save for plumes of smoke carried in by the wind.
But after a few smoky days, the winds shifted and the skies cleared, and it actually turned out to be a beautiful day, so two friends and I piled into the car and set off for Fourth of July Trailhead, a popular hiking area not far from the town of Nederland. This trailhead is one of the eastern gateways to the lovely Indian Peaks Wilderness, an area of jagged peaks and sparkling alpine lakes.
Over the years, I’ve done quite a lot of hiking in the Indian Peaks, including some of the longer and more challenging routes. But somehow, I’d overlooked the shorter, less strenuous hike to Diamond Lake. That was today’s destination.
As of July 2026, Fourth of July Road is rough in places but easily passable in a car with some clearance. With some skill, you might even be able to get a sedan up it. We arrived around 7:45am on a weekday and snagged one of the last spots in the main lot. There’s a decent amount of overflow parking, though some of it is quite a distance down the road.
We set off on the Arapaho Pass Trail, following signs for Diamond Lake. The trail begins in the forest, zigzagging through the trees and beginning to gradually climb, gaining about 500 feet (150 m) in the first 1.1 miles (1.8 km) to the Diamond Lake Trail junction.
I’ve hiked this first stretch of trail before en route to South Arapaho Peak and Lake Dorothy, so I won’t recap any additional details here.
Now on the Diamond Lake Trail, the route descends about 200 feet (60 m) in 0.5 miles (0.8 km) to North Fork Boulder Creek and then crosses the creek just downstream of a pretty little waterfall.
From here, it’s about another 0.8 miles (1.3 km) to Diamond Lake, during which we had to regain the 200 feet (60 m) we’d just lost… plus about 200 more.
As the crow flies, Diamond Lake is only about 1 mile (1.6 km) from the trailhead, but because of the terrain (and I think also because of some private property), the trail essentially doubles back on itself, forming an upside down U shape. Even so, this is not a long or difficult hike, coming in at about 5 miles (8 km) round trip.
Right: Indian paintbrush
Despite that, we’d seen surprisingly few people. There were a handful of fishermen at the lake, and we’d passed a couple groups on the trail, and that was it. We did see a few groups of people heading to the lake as we were on the way down, though, proving that this is one of the more popular trails in the area. I imagine weekend crowds would be much larger.
Without the crowds, we enjoyed a peaceful snack on the lakeshore, with just enough sunshine to keep us warm and just enough breeze to keep the mosquitoes away. The water was shimmering in the sunlight and the mountains formed a lovely backdrop. There were even a few flowers growing right along the water’s edge.
Right: queen’s crown
Eventually, it was time to re-trace our steps, descending back to the creek and then climbing up to the Arapaho Pass Trail once more. It’s never fun to hike uphill on the way back to the car, but thankfully it was a fairly gradual incline.
We also had wildflowers to distract us from the climb.
Right: my phone says this is dame’s rocket, but I’m not sure that’s correct
And I think that’s really all I have to say about Diamond Lake. It’s a nice, moderate hike in the Indian Peaks Wilderness that includes wildflowers, a waterfall, and a lovely lake. There are also backpacking campsites at the lake (reservation required) and I think this would be a good choice for a first ever backpacking trip.
So if you ever find yourself in the Nederland area and you’re looking for a not-too-challenging hike, grab your gear and head to Diamond Lake!
Up next: it’s time to tackle another 14er
The Important Stuff:
- Getting there: the hike to Diamond Lake departs from Fourth of July Trailhead at the end of Fourth of July Road outside the tiny town of Eldora. Beyond the town, the road turns to dirt. However, it’s usually in reasonably good shape and easily passable by any car with some clearance. Note that parking at the trailhead is strictly monitored, and they don’t hesitate to ticket and/or tow illegally parked vehicles.
- Fees and passes: none for a day hike.
- Hiking: roundtrip to Diamond Lake is about 5.2 miles (8.4 km) with 1100 feet (335 m) of elevation gain.
- Where to stay: this hike can easily be done in a day from anywhere along the northern front range. For overnight stays, there is lodging in Nederland. Camping options are limited in the area due to private property. Backpacking is allowed at Diamond Lake, but requires a Diamond Lake backcountry zone permit that must be reserved in advance, and campers must stay in designated established campsites.
- Other: despite the relative ease of this hike, it’s still important to be prepared for wildlife encounters, water crossings, rugged trail conditions, and weather. Be sure to wear good shoes and pack food, water, extra layers, and sun protection.
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