Herman Gulch and the hike up to Herman Lake are absolutely stunning. This is a perfect trail to experience fields full of wildflowers like columbines in the summer. The trail head begins pretty much right off I70, and you can hear a lot of traffic when you first start, but don’t let that discourage you. Soon the sound fades and you will be in the middle of a giant gulch filled with wildflowers in the summer and surrounded by gorgeous peaks. 

There are two pretty intense elevation gains during this hike but they both bring fantastic rewards. The first gain starts pretty much from the get-go, but after it you find yourself in the gorgeous gulch without elevation gain for a while. The gulch is a perfect place to relax and enjoy the beauty of the mountains and is brimming with wildflowers in the summer. After the gulch, you start to climb again through some forest until you reach Herman Lake at the top which is a stunning alpine lake. 

The rocks surrounding the lake are a perfect place to take a load off, forget the outside world, and enjoy the view. It is also a great place for a picnic! The peaks above the lake offer a chance to see some wildlife where mountain goats, bighorn sheep, and marmots are common.

Continuing past the lake if you are up for it, takes you into a gorgeous valley with cascading mountain streams and spectacular views of the citadel above.

The parking lot for this trailhead is pretty big but on weekends, it is still wise to show up early as this is a fairly popular trail. 

Overall if you are looking for stunning views and an alpine lake, Herman Gulch is a fantastic option.

The trailhead for Herman Gulch is directly off of I-70. Exit 218. Super easy to get to as long as you don't mind some traffic on the way! It has a large parking lot, but it is still wise to get there early, especially on weekends.