Trails · Cameron Pass
Diamond Peaks Trail
A high, open climb off Cameron Pass to a wind-scoured alpine ridge with the whole Never Summer range laid out around you.
Toggle Terrain / USGS Topo / Satellite / Street (top-right) · route © COTREX/CPW · tap a marker for waypoints
Diamond Peaks is one of those Cameron Pass hikes that gives you the high country fast. From the pass on the State Forest State Park side, the trail leaves the spruce and fir behind within the first mile and pushes up onto the open tundra, where the wind has the last word and the views run clear across the Never Summer Mountains. COTREX puts the route at about 4.3 miles on a native track surface, managed by State Forest State Park — a stretch of country that trades tree cover for sky early and keeps it that way.
This is a ridge walk more than a summit scramble: the tread climbs steadily toward the Diamond Peaks and the divide, following the spine of the range with alpine meadow falling away on both sides. It's honest work at elevation, and the weather up here turns on a dime — there's no shelter once you're above the trees. Come prepared for wind and cold even in summer, carry layers, and check current conditions and any seasonal closures with State Forest State Park or the Canyon Lakes Ranger District before you go.
Trail Facts
Length
4.3 mi
Elevation
9,180 → 10,400 ft
Elevation Gain
+690 ft
Type
Trail
Uses
Hike · Bike · Horse
Bikes
Allowed
Stock / Horse
Allowed
Dogs
On leash
Surface
Two-track road
Manager
State Forest State Park
Getting There
Drive CO-14 west up the Poudre Canyon to Cameron Pass (about 40 miles from the Ted's Place junction). The Diamond Peaks trail is on the State Forest State Park side of the pass; park at the Cameron Pass / Zimmerman Lake area pullouts and confirm the trailhead on the map. A State Forest State Park pass may be required — check before you go. The pass and its approaches see deep snow; this is a summer–fall hike unless you're equipped for winter travel.
| 0.0 mi | Trailhead / lower end near Cameron Pass |
| ~1.0 mi | Trail breaks above treeline onto open tundra |
| 4.3 mi | Upper end along the Diamond Peaks ridge |
Know Before You Go
- Alpine and exposed. The trail climbs above treeline early and stays there — there's no shelter from wind, sun, or afternoon storms, so start early and turn around if the sky builds.
- It's a two-track, not a footpath. This route follows a two-track road open to hiking, biking, horses, and motorized use (motorcycle / ATV / OHV), so expect to share it with vehicles — a very different feel from the hikers'-only Diamond Peaks summit scramble nearby. Check current State Forest State Park rules before you go.
- State Forest State Park. The route is managed by the park on the west side of Cameron Pass; a park pass may be required, and it's part of the broader Cameron Pass trail network.
- Season. Cameron Pass holds snow deep into summer — plan this as a summer–fall hike and check current conditions 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
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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.