Trails · Upper Poudre Canyon & Cameron Pass
Chambers Lake Trail
An easy walk along the shore of a high mountain reservoir tucked under the Medicine Bow peaks near Cameron Pass.
Toggle Terrain / USGS Topo / Satellite / Street (top-right) · route © COTREX/CPW · tap a marker for waypoints
Chambers Lake sits high in the upper Poudre Canyon, right where CO-14 begins its last climb toward Cameron Pass, and this short trail lets you enjoy the water without much effort at all. COTREX maps it as a 1.5-mile dirt path managed by the USFS Canyon Lakes Ranger District — a foot trail that traces the reservoir and its shoreline meadows, with the dark spruce-fir slopes of the Medicine Bow and Rawah country rising all around. It's the kind of place that rewards a slow pace: bring binoculars, watch the water for waterfowl, and let the kids set the speed.
Because it's gentle and close to the campground and lake access, Chambers Lake makes an easy, family-friendly outing — a stretch of legs after the long drive up the canyon, an evening stroll before dinner, or a quiet morning by the water. It's foot travel only here (no bikes or stock per COTREX), and dogs are welcome on leash. This is high country, so afternoons can turn cool and stormy in a hurry; pack a layer, and check current conditions and any seasonal access notes with the Canyon Lakes Ranger District before you go.
Trail Facts
Length
1.5 mi
Elevation
9,160 → 9,290 ft
Elevation Gain
+360 ft
Type
Trail
Uses
Hike
Bikes
Not allowed
Stock / Horse
Not allowed
Dogs
On leash
Surface
Dirt
Manager
USFS Canyon Lakes Ranger District
Getting There
In the upper Poudre Canyon on CO-14, roughly 4 miles below Cameron Pass. Chambers Lake sits just north of the highway; look for the Chambers Lake Campground and lake-access road, and confirm the trailhead on the map. The campground area has seasonal facilities; the road up the canyon is subject to winter closures and heavy snow near the pass.
| 0.0 mi | Lower trailhead — Chambers Lake access near the campground |
| 1.5 mi | Upper end of the shoreline trail |
Know Before You Go
- Easy & family-friendly. A short 1.5-mile dirt path along the reservoir — a gentle leg-stretch after the drive up the canyon, good for kids and casual walkers.
- Foot travel only. COTREX lists hiking only here — no bikes and no stock; dogs are welcome on a leash.
- High country near Cameron Pass. Weather turns fast at this elevation — carry a layer and watch the afternoon sky for storms.
- Check current conditions. Confirm seasonal access, winter road closures, and campground status with the USFS Canyon Lakes Ranger District before heading up.
Take the Trail With You
Load the route onto your phone's GPS app, or print the details for the glovebox.
Coming soon — the Red Feather Lakes Trail App: offline maps and live GPS for every local trail, right in your pocket.
Built by Many Hands — Give a Little Back
Love this guide? Wear it. Every hat, tee, and cozy layer in our Red Feather Lakes collection helps us keep mapping trails and keeping this guide free — mountain apparel designed right here in the high country, with more trail gear on the way.
Shop the Collection →These trails don't tend themselves either. Every mile is watched over by volunteers and public stewards we lean on to bring you this guide — if you love these mountains, please pitch in for them too:
- Poudre Wilderness Volunteers — trail patrols & the official trail description Donate →
- Colorado Parks & Wildlife / COTREX — the mapped trail route & statewide trail data Donate →
- Arapaho & Roosevelt National Forest (USFS) — the public land itself Support →
- OpenStreetMap contributors — the Street basemap Donate →
- Google & USGS — trailhead location, ratings & topographic maps
Trail details compiled by the Red Feather Lakes Travel Guide from the sources above. Photography by us — more of our own trail images coming as we hike them.