Echo Lake
A glacial lake at 10,600 feet at the foot of the Mount Blue Sky road, with a 1926 log lodge on its shore.
About Echo Lake
Echo Lake sits at about 10,600 feet in Echo Lake Park, a Denver Mountain Parks property at the base of the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway (the former Mount Evans road). It's about 33 miles west of Denver as the crow flies, reached by driving roughly 12 miles south from Idaho Springs on CO 103.
The lake is ringed by spruce and fir with the rounded summits of the Blue Sky massif above, and an easy loop trail circles the shore. It's also the trailhead for the Chicago Lakes Trail, one of the best alpine lake hikes in the area.
Because it's below the byway's fee station, you can enjoy the lake without a summit-road reservation, making it a reliable sunrise or sunset stop even when the road above is closed.
A small lake at the base of the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway, with the historic Echo Lake Lodge on its shore and direct views up toward the peak itself. It's one of the lowest-effort high-alpine lake shots in the state — you can be lakeside in minutes from the parking area — and the snowfield below Mount Blue Sky stays visible well into summer some years, giving you genuine snow-capped drama without a long approach.
History
Echo Lake formed about 10,000 years ago when glacial moraines dammed drainage in the Chicago Creek valley. Denver Mountain Parks developed the area as a park, and Denver architect Jacques Benedict designed Echo Lake Lodge in 1926, a two-story octagonal log building on a local granite base. The park was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1995.
The area also has a place in science: from 1935 to 1960, researchers ran cosmic-ray experiments at Echo Lake and on Mount Blue Sky, and the American Physical Society designated the site historic in 2017. Mount Evans was officially renamed Mount Blue Sky in 2023.
Photographing Echo Lake
Best light: Sunrise and the hour after are best for calm water and reflections of the surrounding ridges. In early fall, the willows and scattered aspens around the lake and along CO 103 turn gold, and the lake often freezes by late fall.
Shots to look for
- Glassy reflections of the Blue Sky massif from the east shore, 16-35mm low to the water
- Echo Lake Lodge's log architecture in warm evening light
- Shoreline rocks and fallen logs as foreground on the loop trail
- Milky Way over the lake from the shoreline, away from car headlights on CO 103
- Frosty fall mornings with mist rising off the water, telephoto to isolate the trees
Photo tips
- Parking at Echo Lake fills on summer weekends; arrive early for sunrise
- At 10,600 feet, nights are cold even in July; pack a warm layer and gloves
- Wind often picks up by mid-morning and kills reflections
- Echo Lake is a Denver Mountain Parks site; check its current drone rules before flying
- If you want the summit road too, book the Mount Blue Sky reservation separately
Know before you go
- The Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway above Echo Lake requires a timed reservation on Recreation.gov when open; the road was closed for construction in 2025 and reopened for 2026
- Echo Lake Lodge now operates as a gift shop and restaurant only, not lodging
- High-altitude weather changes fast; summer afternoon storms are common
Prints from Echo Lake
Every photo is available as a print on metal, canvas, wood or fine art paper.
Frequently asked questions
Do you need a reservation to visit Echo Lake?
No. Echo Lake is below the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway fee station. A reservation is only needed to drive the summit road above it.
How high is Echo Lake?
Echo Lake sits at about 10,600 feet.
Is Mount Evans the same as Mount Blue Sky?
Yes. Mount Evans was officially renamed Mount Blue Sky in 2023, and the road is now the Mount Blue Sky Scenic Byway.
Featured in: Best Sunrise Photography Spots in Colorado · Photography Spots Near Denver
Combine it with
Mt Evans · Chicago Lakes · Idaho Springs Reservoir · Chief Mountain
More Colorado spots
Idaho Springs Reservoir · Trail Ridge Road, RMNP · Mount Sniktau
Sources & further reading: en.wikipedia.org · fs.usda.gov · denvergazette.com. Conditions, fees and rules change; check with the managing agency before you go.