Bear Lake

Bear Lake: crowds and conditions

Typical pattern: usually quiet; mostly local visitors. Been there recently? Post today’s status and it shows here for the next traveller.

Status options for this lake: Full / gates open · Low water level · Entry closed.

Best time to visit Bear Lake

Season: August to December when reservoirs are full and gates may open.

Crowd: Usually quiet; mostly local visitors.

Typical week: Mon quiet · Tue quiet · Wed quiet · Thu quiet · Fri light · Sat light · Sun light.

How to reach Bear Lake — distance from nearby cities

Coordinates: 37.32394, -105.14148. Road distances are estimates; the road-trip planner uses real routes and adds stops worth the detour.

Places to visit near Bear Lake

• Trinchera Peak · viewpoint · Huerfano · ~5 km · Must-see
• Cucharas Pass · viewpoint · Huerfano · ~7 km · Must-see
• Cordova Pass · viewpoint · Las Animas · ~13 km · Must-see
• West Spanish Peak · viewpoint · Huerfano · ~18 km · Must-see
• Spanish Peaks · viewpoint · Las Animas · ~20 km · Must-see
• East Spanish Peak · viewpoint · Las Animas · ~26 km · Must-see
• Culebra Peak · viewpoint · Costilla · ~28 km · Must-see
• Spainish Peaks Church · church · Huerfano · ~29 km · Must-see
• Mountain Home Dam · lake · Costilla · ~30 km · Must-see
• Red Mountain · viewpoint · Costilla · ~30 km · Must-see
• Fort Garland Museum & Cultural Center · museum · Costilla · ~35 km · Must-see
• Mount Mestas · viewpoint · Huerfano · ~36 km · Must-see
• San Luis Oldest Town in Colorado · viewpoint · Costilla · ~36 km · Must-see
• Silver Mountain · viewpoint · Huerfano · ~41 km · Must-see
• Sangre de Cristo Pass · viewpoint · Huerfano · ~41 km · Must-see
• Smith Reservoir · lake · Costilla · ~44 km · Must-see
• Iron Mountain · viewpoint · Costilla · ~45 km · Must-see
• Mount Lindsey · viewpoint · Costilla · ~49 km · Must-see

See everything within a day’s drive of Bear Lake

Other lakes, dams & reservoirs near Bear Lake

• Mountain Home Dam · lake · Costilla · ~30 km · Must-see
• Smith Reservoir · lake · Costilla · ~44 km · Must-see
• Trinidad Lake State Park · lake · Las Animas · ~68 km · Must-see
• Lake Isabel Picnic and Day Use Area · lake · Custer · ~92 km · Must-see
• Lake Maloya · lake · Colfax · ~97 km · Must-see
• Lake Maloya · lake · Las Animas · ~97 km · Must-see
• Willow Lake · lake · Saguache · ~106 km · Must-see
• Williams Lake · lake · Taos · ~111 km · Must-see
• Blue Lake · lake · Taos · ~113 km · Must-see
• Lake Fork Peak · lake · Taos · ~113 km · Must-see

All lakes, dams & reservoirs in Colorado

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