The Small Town Lakes In Colorado That Are An Idyllic Summer Day Trip

There's nothing quite like going on a road trip at the peak of the summer. In Colorado, that usually means a trip to the mountains, and one of the best places that you can go on a summer drive is Twin Lakes. Twin Lakes, Colorado, is a pair of lakes in the center of the state, and it's also a small, historic town named after them. You'll love visiting these picturesque lakes and marveling at the tall mountains that surround them - including Mount Elbert, our state's tallest - and you'll enjoy checking out the small town on their shores that has a population of less than 200 people.

Twin Lakes is a lovely little town to spend time in on a summer day.

The actual Twin Lakes are two glacier-carved lakes in this area. They were dredged to be made larger, and they serve as reservoirs to store water for the Front Range. Both the east and west lakes are popular for recreation.

The town of Twin Lakes is west of the western lake. It's at 9200 feet and is at the base of Colorado's tallest mountain, Mount Elbert.

This town came to be when James V Dexter bought land here in 1883 and took over the local hotel. He renamed it the Inter-Laken and, for many years, it was one of the most popular resorts in the state. It's been abandoned since 1908, but you can still visit the main building by boat.

In the town of Twin Lakes, there are only a few houses and businesses. One of the most well-known is the Twin Lakes General Store. It opened in 1879.

It was built to serve visitors headed over Independence Pass. It's still popular with travelers today.

The Twin Lakes Schoolhouse is another historic building in town. It's very photogenic.

If you want to eat while you're in Twin Lakes, or stay overnight, you will love the historic Twin Lakes Inn & Saloon.

You'll probably want to spend a lot of time on the lakes, though. Boating is allowed on them. Lots of people come to these lakes to kayak and paddleboard.

At the peak of the summer, the lake gets to be as warm as 70 degrees. Many people enjoy relaxing on the Twin Lakes beach and swimming.

You might also go on a hike around the lakes.

For another viewpoint of the lakes, you could climb Mount Elbert!

There are several campgrounds nearby, too.

You'll love visiting the town of Twin Lakes and the Twin Lakes themselves. This is a very special part of Colorado.

As you can see, Twin Lakes may be small, but it has everything you need to have a wonderful day trip to the mountains. Head on out that way soon and take it all in - and have a great summer!

Looking for more ideas for Colorado day trips? Check out our Colorado Day Trip page for some inspiration.