Woods Lake Trail to Navajo Lake - San Juan Mountains / Lizard Head Wilderness

Woods Lake Trail to Navajo Lake - San Juan Mountains / Lizard Head Wilderness
Tina and I went to Colorado to escape the brutal heat of Arizona. On a whim, we decided to check out Woods Lake Campground in the Uncompahgre National Forest. We're somewhat familiar with the area, but hadn't checked out Woods Lake before. The established campground was perfect; running, potable water, bathrooms and firewood for sale. Each campground had a picnic table and fire pit. It was just what we needed.
But when we started looking, we realized there were trails leaving directly from our campground. So we decided to hike the Woods Lake Trail up to Navajo Lake. It starts out by Woods Lake (obviously) and immediately starts up the mountain through a beautiful forest of aspen and pine. And mosquitoes. Lots and lots of mosquitoes. So many mosquitoes. I know Colorado has it's season for them, but man, this was especially brutal. Apocolyptic. At least they kept us going at a brisk pace, because you really couldn't stop or they would swarm you.
So after a bit, I may have become cranky. But soon enough we cleared the tree line and they died down. Then the problem was snow. The camera never does it justice, but the snow was on a steep slope that was not entirely safe. At least not for desert hikers. Luckily we had our microspikes, so we continued on.
Which was a good thing. We crested the saddle and were treated to some amazing views of the mountains on the other side. And wildflowers. It was breathtaking. Then it was down a few hundred feet over a couple more miles to Navajo Lake. The thing about these alpine lakes in the San Juans is that they're crowded. They're incredibly beautiful and therefore extremely popular. But not really for Navajo Lake. We saw maybe two groups of backpackers and three groups of day hikers. And that was it. Definitely the least crowded lake we've hiked to in Colorado to date.
And all of this was on a whim. The campsite. The trail. The lake. Just goes to show you that sometimes it pays to just go out and explore.
Music by Artlist:
Standing Small - The Hunts
Bachs Cello Suite - Ardie Son
Serenade in G Major Eine kleine Nachtmusik - Dover Quartet
Music by Epidemic Sound:
Grieg - Morning
Waltz for M - Anna Landstrom

[@christineolson3563]

Fabulous in every way! Thank you

[@MrRarehair]

My wife and I appreciated the beautiful footage in this video and it reminded us of a couple of hikes we took near Ridgway and Crested Butte a few weeks ago. You should be very pleased with your ability to produce this kind of work. The editing sequences of the hike/run back down was certainly entertaining. And as usual, your eye for a nice scene combined with a sense of humor makes your videos some of the best that exist. Well done.

[@ChadWardense]

The cinematography is beyond amazing!

[@MoonJuiceHikes]

The San Juan’s, above the tree line is just gorgeous!

[@JSees]

That Navajo lake is amazing, such a rare thing to experience. Thanks for sharing this.

[@oldboater]

Thanks again Jerry & Tina for a beautiful video.

[@Love2Wander]

AMAZING adventure beautiful county. Best content on YT. Stay safe and keep exploring..

[@kimedwards8162]

I always enjoy your music selection! Thank you!!

[@xijiang2728]

What a gorgeous place. Thanks for sharing your experience. The cello music fits the scene very well. Good choice.

[@JohnPaul-ts8dq]

Wonderful video Jerry, well done.👍👍👏👏👏

[@samajax]

When we climbed the Wilson's, years ago, Navajo Lake was our base. It's so beautiful, especially when you come up into the basin. I watched pikas harvest their grasses, putting it in the sun to dry. Talk about great entertainment after a climb. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

[@levicpatterson]

LOL...the segment at the end was funny : D

[@sobanosilva8585]

Great video work

[@JerryArizona]

Thanks!

[@moovyoaz]

Run, Forest, Run!

[@pattysmith9892]

WOW!! Amazing views!!!

[@JamieMcCracken]

As much as I love the actual adventure part of the videos -- especially when it involves hiking -- it's the behind the scenes reality that is everything! So funny and real! Love it, Jerry!

[@Wendy-cf5tv]

Beautiful!

[@walkingwithawookie1097]

Absolutely gorgeous❤️

[@juliojimenez-juanz6751]

We drove by Navajo lake 2018 and its beautiful! I need to go back and do a hike up there. Awesome video like always!👍

[@JSees]

It seems cool and serene up there, Colorado is amazingly beautiful this time of year, sorry about the bugs, I hate skeeters. But hiking into snow in July is dodgy and that is steep, no way.

[@johnNJ4024]

"I dunno... something happened." Gotta remember that one! LOL!

[@curleyscrewzin5622]

Beautiful hike and views.

[@anthonymillett16]

That is a beautiful hike! How secluded too! Gotta visit someday

[@MattNowell]

Beautiful my friend!!!

[@slewisgreen]

wonderful video...just beautiful. I will be with my son for month next year, driving all around that lovely state...I do live in Connecticut...

[@rugged9769]

Welcome to Colorado. You’re pretty brave for not bringing bug spray this time of the year

[@JerryArizona]

Oh, we brought it. For some stupid reason I didn't use it. They weren't bad at camp (which was basically right by the trailhead.) And I've learned this lesson before out there. Not sure what I was thinking

[@heyjudesadventures]

Mosquitoes are so rude! Beautiful hike, though. I hope they didn't ruin your experience too much. Great run- Lol. Thanks for sharing 😊

[@nebc_yukonyeti]

Beautiful trip & I always love the out takes at the end. The after bite applied like body lotion. 😂

[@walkitoffarizona887]

Love this one ! Love the out of focus close ups ! Those purple flowers ! And the bee ! Lived in Alaska and the mosquitos up there are considered the state bird ha ha ! I remember the two of you running from a storm on Browns peak! So I was having a tea at lunch while watching and the message inside the cap read . If you want to fast ,go alone. If you want to go far , go together….. or run together ha ha! Thx !

[@A-K_Rambler]

Quality time with Tina was the best part of the hike, for sure! Mexican meal at the end of the day?

[@Ballen1182]

"It's okay, I won't use it." 😄😬

[@JerryArizona]

She just loves when I do that.

[@lynnnorthrup8914]

Mosquitoes are a real issue here because they transmit West Nile virus. Two people here in our community contracted that disease and one neighbor nearly died. She contracted encephalitis or meningitis as a result of the mosquito bite. Hope you guys are alright. There is another trailhead to the lake from Dunton Hot Springs which we like especially in the fall. Woods Lake is nice but there are better hikes in the area without mosquitoes.

[@JB-rt4mx]

If would clear cut the forest the mosquitos would leave, also make it 4x4 road and we can stay in our jeeps with AC

[@stevewright2241]

It’s nice to be at a trailhead parking lot and only see a couple of cars.

[@JerryArizona]

It is.

[@cuddlegrammie8041]

I enjoyed this video. Beautiful scenery and good humor all in one . Know i remember why I Subbed !

[@alexstclair6179]

Wow.. Benadryl before tacos? … The mosquitoes must’ve been really bad. That was beautiful thank you!

[@dixielambrecht7009]

My Colorado is especially green this year. Vicksburg vaporub helps deter mosquitoes

[@dixielambrecht7009]

Vicks vapo rub

[@JerryArizona]

We'll have to try it. They were brutal.

[@dmn3773]

I’ve spent the summer exploring the Targhee adjacent Swan Valley (northeast of Idaho Falls). You surely have plenty to explore in CO but much of the area east and northeast of Idaho Falls can give the crowded hills around CO a run for their money. Pretty cheap to fly out there from gateway and most of the good trailheads worth visiting can be accessed with a modest sedan which makes for cheaper exploring when renting a car. Good video as usual!

[@dorothy9014]

😂 you guys are great! We went to the Ancient Bristlecone Pines last week and my husband got ate alive by mosquitoes. I on the other hand didn’t get a single bite. We also hiked half Dome on the 13th and his toes bleed on the way down. He had a really rough week. We are headed to CO in September that lake is beautiful but he may not let me hike for a while.

[@JerryArizona]

Those mosquitos in Co in the summer are no joke. We need to hike Half Dome one of these days. I just started looking into the permit system. Need to think ahead for that one.

[@jrlong3490]

Beautiful hike. Thanks for sharing. I guess you and Tina have survived the bug bites, but it looked pretty bad there.

[@JerryArizona]

That part wasn't fun. But it was worth it.

[@mikesthoughtsonplants.9857]

You can stay in Ouray, hike black bear pass after breakfast and be back by dinner in Ouray.. goes up to 12,500 ft.

[@SueMayotte-bp7zr]

My husband and I are planning to drive to Flagstaff next year (driving from NH) and plan on spending a few days in the Ouray area. We will be camping and I’ll be planning the route this fall. What campground did you stay at? Thank you for all of your wonderful videos. We went to Fish Lake and the Little Grand Canyon last year. I never would have thought to go to those spectacular places if I hadn’t seen the video that you put out.

[@JerryArizona]

Nice! That trip to Fish Lake/The Wedge was great. We stayed at Woods Lake Campground outside Telluride. Really great place and not too crowded.

[@williamnielsen3947]

a full plate of mex cuisine should make things better cheers

[@JerryArizona]

It always does.....

[@mikesimonson7860]

Colorado Rocky Mountain hijinks?

[@kellybaker6353]

How many miles round trip on that trail? That’s one I’d love to check out. My husband and I were in Great Sand Dunes NP in late June and got positively destroyed by mosquitoes. We didn’t have any bug spray either, lol.

[@samajax]

We came in from the south, but I think it's about 10 miles R/T.

[@JerryArizona]

My GPS shows 10.9 miles and 2,800' elevation gain and loss.

[@TheDieselApartment]

Beautiful trail and great video. Sorry the needle-mouthed assholes tried to ruin it for you.

[@JerryArizona]

Still worth it. But you definitely didn't want to hang out in the tree line.

[@ettaplace6716]

Music ???

[@JerryArizona]

Check the description. I've been listing songs and artists there on more recent videos. It's from Artlist (for licensing purposes.)