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BPX 3-Day: Rawah Crater Lakes and McIntyre Lake loop from West Branch TH

Shoulder season/October backpack - 3 days/2 nights, just past peak aspen color, hiked CW around the loop, with camping below Twin Crater Lakes and at McIntyre Lake

Hannah Korrell Hannah Korrell
October 13, 2025
  • Road suitable for all vehicles

  • Single track trail once you leave the OHV trail at 0.3 mi, trail mostly dry, with minimal snow and ice encountered above 9800 ft. Trail very muddy and marshy immediately surrounding Camp Lake. Cupped trail segments throughout. Significant slough/erosion on the steep descent from Camp Lake, would make this a very difficult ascent if navigating the trail CCW.

Shoulder season (early Oct) backpack along this route, going CW around the route as described on the CMC listing for this. Minimal snow and ice on trail, no need for microspikes. Daytime temps reached the high 60s, nighttime temps in the mid-low 20s. There has been a short trail reroute near the trailhead, shortly after leaving the OHV road (~0.1 mi from the bridge/start of the West Branch TH, near the campsites), which does not match the track on Caltopo, but is intuitive to navigate. Winds were high at Twin Crater Lakes so opted to camp lower, about 2/3 the distance back to the main loop - plentiful campsites near the creek. Camped at McIntyre Lake, able to find suitable flat sites out of the wind, but these were limited. The trail around Camp Lake was very marshy with deep mud in spots. The views are perhaps slightly better if navigating this route CCW instead of CW, but the initial ascent to Camp Lake is very steep and eroded and would make a difficult first day.

Evidence of moose throughout the trail but did not see any. No bear sightings. Saw bald eagle at Rawah Lake No. 2, lots of 6in+ fish in streams and lakes.

Encountered a rogue fisherman at McIntyre Lake who had hiked in from the Walden side. Did not encounter any other parties otherwise during this trip.

My partner and I are well-trained aerobically, able to hike this trail averaging 2.5 mph on steep inclines, 3.0+mph on flats with ~30lb packs appropriate for cold shoulder season nights. Both members had winter camping experience. I brought a 15 deg bag with 5R inflatable pad and 2R closed cellular foam. My partner had a 20 deg quilt with 8R pad. Both stayed warm at night with this gear in 20 deg temps, 18mph wind gusts.