The Blue Lakes are a divine set of lakes in the valley between Quandary Peak and North Star Mountain and are fed by Monte Cristo Creek. The upper lake is formed by a dam that provides water to Colorado Springs. The upper lake itself is not very photographic, but the view from the dam is one of the best we’ve seen. The view looks down on the valley, over the lower lake and up to Red Mountain and Hoosier Ridge. There is a rock here that we’ve affectionately dubbed “Blue Button Rock” which has enough space for two people and an officiant. There are lots of options here angles with regard to photography. There is also plenty of flat ground with lots of space to stretch out on the landing there. Vehicles can drive down to the landing from the parking lot, but most vehicles should make use of the parking lot. It’s a truly breathtaking spot. As an alpine lake, it gets covered in snow and the road becomes impassible during the winter. Summit County road operations clear it and grade the dirt road sometime around June, and that is when the road is going to be at its best. This is a very popular place and it is highly trafficked on weekends. As such the road itself deteriorates over the summer and depending on usage, may be impassible for vehicles with low clearance later in the season. Where the dirt road meets HWY 9, there is a parking lot for the McCullough Gulch Trailhead. This parking lot can be useful as a meetup point if you’re concerned about vehicles being able to make it up the road. Colorado Springs Utilities owns the land immediately around and in-between the lakes. Summit County owns the roads. The US Forest Service owns the surrounding land. In our discussions with Colorado Springs Utilities, they appear to only be concerned about very large events (think triathlons, regatas, etc.) and seem to allow free use for smaller events. There are no restrooms here or nearby, so plan accordingly.
