Capitol Lake - 13.2 Miles Round-Trip

Capitol Lake (11,597’) is located 6.6 miles from Capitol Creek Trailhead in the Maroon Bells – Snowmass Wilderness. It fills a steep-walled bowl framed by Capitol Peak (14,130’), Mount Daly (13,305’) and Capitol Pass (12,078’).

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

The trail drops 400’ in .68 miles from Capitol Creek Road to the valley floor, where it turns south beside Capitol Creek and follows it through long intervals of aspen, meadow and airy alpine landscapes to the lake.

There are marked connections for Nickelson Creek Trail, Capitol Ditch Trail and West Snowmass Trail, and unmarked climbing routes that split off to Mount Daly and Capitol Peak. The main trail continues .8 miles past Capitol Lake to the pass and drops SW into the Avalanche Creek drainage.

Camping is only permitted at designated sites around the lake, and campfires are not permitted at these sites (stoves only). Dispersed camping and campfires are otherwise permitted in the MB-SM Wilderness leading up to the lake (see Camping and Backpacking for details).

Capitol Creek Trail sees heavy use, especially on summer weekends. Arrive early to secure choice campsites and avoid congestion on Capitol Creek Road (see important driving notes below):

There are two trailheads in the main parking lot – find Capitol Creek Trail and begin a fast descent through mountain shrublands to the valley floor. Flowers are particularly abundant on this sunny, south-facing slope.

The trail crosses Capitol Creek on a bridge (.68 miles : 9,070’) to the Wilderness Boundary (.7 miles) and Nickelson Creek Trail split (.72 miles : 7,097’). It rises away into thick aspen and curls south on high banks over the creek with good views of open slopes across the valley.

The trail crosses a creek (2.15 miles : 9,370’) and rises steadily through aspen, glades and brush to a large meadow at 3.0 miles (9,840’). It cuts across the base of this steep meadow to the Capitol Ditch Trail split (3.32 miles : 9,940’), a scenic area along the creek ideal for fishing.

The trail continues south through attractive meadows to the West Snowmass Trail split, which comes in from the left (3.9 miles : 10,145’). It crosses a big meadow then steepens into a cluttered forest and passes through a grazing allotment boundary gate (4.4 miles : 10,305’).

Travel eases across a meadow (4.75 miles : 10,475’) before another steep push up an E-W dogleg and tight switchbacks that lead to a creek at 5.55 miles (10,960’). The trail is potentially vague here but easy to find once across.

It continues on a shifting climb through an expanding alpine landscape to the Designated Campsite – Fire Restriction sign (6.17 miles : 11,360’), past which it funnels up a steep gully that opens to big alpine meadows at the Capitol Lake – Capitol Pass Trail split (6.45 miles : 11,563’). Designated Campsite spurs can be found between the gully and this sign.

Follow signs left that crest over a scree pile down to Capitol Lake (6.6 miles : 11,597’). The lake is hemmed by steep walls comprised of loose rock - be mindful of falling/sliding rock around the shore. Scale walls and knolls for a better look, or hike up toward Capitol Pass for great views over the basin.

Capitol Pass is .8 miles and 510’ up from the split to the lake. It’s a little easier to backtrack on the established trail than negotiate steep loose rock around the lake to pick it up.