
Heart Lake
Usa, north-america
N/A
3,653 m
moderate
Year-round
Okay, adventurers, listen up! You absolutely HAVE to check out Heart Lake in Hinsdale County, Colorado. We're talking seriously high altitude here – 11,984 feet! This isn't your average Sunday drive.
The road to the lake is a gravel track, and forget about it in the winter. Honestly, if unpaved mountain roads make you nervous, or you have a thing about heights, maybe skip this one. You'll definitely need a 4x4 to tackle this bad boy. And pro tip: during dry spells, it gets super dusty, so be prepared!
The journey takes you up NF-245 towards the abandoned Sullivan Mountain lookout, and the views are absolutely insane. Seriously, the scenery alone is worth the white-knuckle drive!
Road Details
- Country
- Usa
- Continent
- north-america
- Max Elevation
- 3,653 m
- Difficulty
- moderate
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