The Crater Lakes are a cluster of 5 lakes spread about a rugged valley that forms a major tributary to South Boulder Creek. A maintained but potentially ill-defined trail breaks NW off the East Portal's main artery to lower Crater Lakes, a scenic pair separated only by a thin, elevated ridge. A third lake is concealed by timber nearby, and accessible by social trails. A strenuous route continues west up a steep wall to the talus-bound cirque of upper Crater Lakes.

Social trails circle and connect the 3 lower lakes, with access to many good campsites throughout the basin

Aerial views of the lower lakes on the steep climb to the upper lakes

The James Peak Wilderness covers 17,000 acres within the Arapaho and Roosevelt National Forests across Boulder, Gilpin and Clear Creek counties

Once in the upper basin, a short but challenging section of rugged talus and timber must be crossed to reach the highest lakes

James Peak (13,294') was named for Edwin James, a physician and botanist who was among the first to catalogue plants of the Rocky Mountains

While the south lake is tightly hemmed by timber and valley walls, the north lake is big, open and easy to explore

The Crater Lake Trail loses clarity in several places, and cairns can be difficult to pick out from the landscape

A near-vertical ridge must be scaled to reach the upper Crater Lakes

Once over the steep ridge, a rugged talus field separates you from the next pair of lakes

The Crater Lakes fill one of five valleys that run east off the Continental Divide between James Peak (south) and Rollins Pass (north)

Rollins Pass Road is located west of the Divide over the steep cirque wall of the upper lake

Trout are abundant in the three lower lakes, with many acres of accessible shore line for anglers