Crested Butte Trails: Peeler Lakes

From the Town of Crested Butte: Take Gothic Road (135) north 0.8 miles to Slate River Road (734). Turn left and drive 3.6 miles before taking left on 739A. Park on the left side of the road next to the parking blocks. 

From the parking lot walk down towards the Slate River. Cross Gunsight Bridge [1] and continue on to the right up Gunsight Road. Be sure to stay to the right (left brings you onto the Lower Loop trail system) and follow the wide road into the trees and up a decent slope. Stay on the main road (there are a lot of other exit trails to avoid) as you ascend for a while and gain some views [2]. Follow the road [3] for approx. 4 miles as it switchbacks up into Redwell Basin. Be on the lookout for wild raspberries [4] [5] along this entire stretch of road.

As you emerge into Redwell Basin [6]  look for a fork in the road on your right, for Peeler Lakes, and descend a half mile into the bottom of the basin near the creek and a circular parking/camping area. Here starts the beginning of trail 404, which leads into Peeler Basin. If you continue straight, up Redwell Basin, you'll see a lot of old mining equipment and debris strewn about [7]. Gunsight Pass road continues up toward the top of Gunsight Pass. For a detailed trail guide of Gunsight Pass, Click Here

Be on the lookout for the trail sign on your right [8].  Follow the single track as it winds its way through lush forest for 1.2 miles [9] before entering the Raggeds Wilderness [10]. From the wilderness boundary cross Peeler Creek [11] and continue to the junction of trail 404.5 Head left and make your way towards Upper Peeler Lakes [12]. There is a lot of downed timber making the trail hard to follow from this point on. We recommend having a GPS and good route finding skills to find your way between the lakes [13]. Check out both Lower [14] and Upper Peeler Lakes [15] ,which don't see a lot of people. After enjoying the magic of Peeler Lakes retrace your steps and head back down the way you came up.