Almost seen as an extension to the Rocky Mountain National Park, the plain named State Forest State Park gathers together an additional 70,000 acres of splendid alpine scenery. Here on the Continental Divide, the Medicine Bow Range blends into the Never Summer Mountains, creating more of Colorado's famous Rocky Mountain backcountry.
   One of the easier ways to explore this preserve has visitors heading into the Lake Agnes Basin. Just west of Cameron Pass, the Lake Agnes hike begins at a trailhead that's already 10,000 feet in elevation. Here in the crisp mountain air, the trail gains only 400 more feet over the .8 mile pathway. The well named Never Summer Mountains offer a strong hint that the trail may still be snow covered during the first few weeks of summer. This Alpine hike yields yet another picturesque scene of a beautiful Colorado alpine lake. Carved out by age-old glaciers, the crystal clear lake is surrounded by natural amphitheater. In this scene Mount Richthofen peers down from the left and Mount Mahler lies straight ahead over the lake.
   Aside from the grand scenery, visitors also come to enjoy the park's wildlife. Elk, black bear, bighorn sheep and moose roam throughout the pine, spruce and fir forest. With so many moose sightings every year, this section of the state is often called the moose capital of Colorado.

   Attention hikers - You now must have a hunting or fishing license to hike in any State Wildlife Area in Colorado.

     Area Map