Bobcats trip – Interlaken Trail

This EXPLORATORY HIKE follows a scenic section of the shoreline of Twin Lakes to the abandoned Interlaken Resort, a remarkably well-preserved remnant of Colorado's late nineteenth-century tourism boom. The approximately 5-mile round-trip route gains about 300 feet of elevation and follows a segment of the combined Colorado Trail and Continental Divide Trail, offering hikers a chance to walk a portion of two of the West's premier long-distance trails while enjoying expansive views across the lakes to the towering summits of Mount Elbert and Mount Massive. Originally established in the 1870s and expanded during the 1880s, Interlaken served wealthy travelers seeking mountain scenery and fresh air before the era of automobile tourism, with guests arriving by steamboat from Twin Lakes. Today, the restored Dexter Cabin and the larger Interlaken Hotel stand as rare surviving examples of Colorado resort architecture from this period. Beyond its scenic value, the hike provides an opportunity to examine the intersection of mining-era prosperity, early recreation, and transportation history while traveling through a landscape framed by Colorado's highest mountains and one of the state's most significant historic sites. Our pace will be consistent with completing this hike in a reasonable amount of time. At least ~5 miles and ~300 ft elevation gain. (Interlaken Trail - CalTopo)

Carpool Place & Time: Meet at the Wooly Mammoth PnR (Section BB) at 6:00AM, for a 6:15AM departure (Wooly Mammoth Park-N-Ride - Google Map)

We'll carpool to the Interlaken TH parking (Interlaken Trailhead - Google Maps)