We drove through the San Juan Mountains to get to Ridgway State Park. It’s getting seriously cold! Our first night camping in the park it got down to mid 20s, but we managed to stay warm and comfortable in our tent. We’re not sure exactly how low we can handle, but I expect it’s in the mid-teens.
We spent a full day hiking in the San Juan Mountains to get to the Ice Lakes. This was probably our best hike yet! We reached an elevation of about 12,400 ft at the lakes and trekked through snow at the end. We’re pretty sure we saw moose or elk tracks in the snow. 
While Andy had felt the altitude at the Great Sand Dunes, Priscilla was feeling it during this hike. It was tough, but totally worth it. We’ve never seen anything like it before! The lake was even bluer than the sky!
On our way to and from the Ice Lakes hike, we drove through super steep and curvy mountain roads, and cute little towns. We really love everything about this area of Colorado (is there a part of Colorado we don’t love?). We stopped by a brewery/pizzeria in the Ridgway town on our way back and went to bed happy.
Highlights of the San Juan Mountains and Ice Lakes, Colorado
- The bluest mountain lakes we’ve ever seen!
- Stunning mountain landscapes for the entire Ice Lakes Hike
- Great campsite at Ridgway State Park
That lake: wow! I wonder how your little car is doing on those steep mountain roads!
Awesome scenery! That stream looks really clear and minerally.
I’d give this one a B. Beautiful pictures, but I didn’t see any pics of the pizza or beer though…
I’ll have to try harder. Beer might have to wait until after Utah though.
What a change from Great Sand Dunes Park! And so beautiful!
Yeah, the landscapes change so dramatically across the country, we haven’t gotten used to it yet.