The High Lonesome Trail connects the King Lake and Devils Thumb Lake trails to form an exhilarating loop through the Indian Peaks Wilderness high country. Hikers and runners will enjoy varied terrain and scenery as the route scales a spectacular alpine valley to the Continental Divide, then rolls across open tundra for 2.5 miles to Devils Thumb Pass. It drops into the Devils Thumb Lake basin and by Jasper Lake to complete the loop.

The descent from Devils Thumb Pass (11,967') leads into a spacious alpine flat with several large ponds adjacent to Devils Thumb Lake

The King Lake Trail arcs up to the High Lonesome junction on the Continental Divide

Dense willow and krummholz crowd the Devils Thumb Lake outlet area

Travel moderates through open meadows below Jasper Lake

Jasper Creek flows from Jasper Lake and joins South Fork Middle Boulder Creek in a forceful confluence just above the Devils Thumb Bypass split

Alpine tundra grasses include the Alpine Blue Grass, Skyline Blue Grass, Spike Trisetum, Tufted Hair Grass, Spreading Wheatgrass, Kobresia and Pyrennian Sedge

Damp meadows between Jasper and Devils Thumb Lake are good places to find wildlife

King Lake

This picture was taken on July 4 - always call ahead for trail conditions and expect lingering snow well into summer!

Most of the High Lonesome Loop is considered 'runnable', though steep sections at high elevations near the Divide can prove challenging

Scenic ponds and large glades near Devils Thumb Lake

Miles of open tundra on the High Lonesome Trail

Devils Thumb Lake

The trail climbs above King Lake with a good look at the full cirque and valley headwall

The High Lonesome Trail flattens above the King Lake cirque

Rising above treeline on the final ascent to King Lake