April to May
Spring
Snowmelt runs the North Fork high, fast, and loud. Lower trails thaw first, and Guanella Pass Road reopens over the summit around Memorial Day weekend.
The Land • Grant, Colorado
Where the map runs out
Riverfront ground on the North Fork of the South Platte at 8,600 feet, with Guanella Pass, Kenosha Pass, and a 14er trailhead up the road.
The Land
Cold water, tall country
Lostfork sits where County Road 62 leaves US-285 in Grant, on the banks of the North Fork of the South Platte inside Pike National Forest. The water is cold and clear, the trout are wild, and the aspens on the ridges go gold in late September.
Turn north at the gate and CR 62 becomes Guanella Pass Road, climbing to the Mount Bierstadt trailhead at 11,669 feet. Head west on 285 and Kenosha Pass, with the Colorado Trail, is about 10 minutes out. Red Rocks and the west side of Denver are about an hour back the other way. Cell service fades on purpose.
8,600 ft
Elevation
75 min
To downtown Denver
11,669 ft
Guanella Pass
14,065 ft
Mt. Bierstadt
Around Lostfork
Everything up the road
Trailheads, river access, food, supplies, and day trips, with drive times from the Lostfork gate. Tap a pin or a name for details and directions.
Home base
Lostfork Basecamp
121 County Road 62, Grant, CO 80448
The interactive map didn’t load on this device. The list still has every place and drive time.
Open Lostfork in Google MapsDrive times are estimates from 121 County Road 62 in normal conditions. Mountain weather and US-285 traffic change them. Confirm hours with each business, and check Pike-San Isabel forest alerts for trail and road closures before you head out.
Open year-round
What the land does all year
Same river, four different trips.
June to August
Summer
Wildflowers on Guanella Pass, pre-dawn starts for Mount Bierstadt, and dry-fly evenings on the river. Warm afternoons, cool nights at 8,600 feet.
September to October
Fall
Aspens on Kenosha and Guanella Pass usually peak from late September into early October. Go midweek; the Kenosha trailhead fills on weekends.
November to March
Winter
The Guanella summit closes to cars after Thanksgiving and the canyon goes quiet. Snowshoe the forest roads, ski Breckenridge about 70 minutes away over Hoosier Pass, then sauna and hot tub.
Getting here
One highway, one turn
Lostfork Basecamp121 County Road 62Grant, Colorado 80448
- From Denver, take US-285 South through Conifer and Pine Junction.
- Stay on 285 through Bailey and Shawnee to Grant. Grant is about 58 miles from downtown Denver.
- Turn north onto County Road 62 (Guanella Pass Road). Lostfork is just off the highway at 121 CR 62. If you hit Kenosha Pass, you went about 8 miles too far.
Winter driving
US-285 is a mountain highway, and snow can fall from October through May. Snow tires or AWD help. Check COtrip.org before you leave.
Cell service
Coverage gets thin past Bailey. Download offline maps and your check-in details before you head up the canyon.
Last stop for supplies
Gas, Moore Lumber & Ace Hardware, and the post office are in Bailey, about 15 minutes east. The closest full grocery is King Soopers in Conifer, about 35 minutes out.
Flying in
Denver International is about 1 hr 40 min and 92 miles away in normal traffic. Plan on a rental car for the drive up 285.
On the property
The land, up close
Your basecamp is waiting
Come find Lostfork
Book a cabin on the river, then go see how far the map runs.