Infamous Places

Summit Lake Park

Summit Lake Park is a park located along Mount Evans Scenic Byway about 62 miles (100 km) west of Denver, Colorado. The park is 160 acres (0.65 km²) in size and contains both Arctic and alpine tundra. Land to the east of the lake is in a state of permafrost which helps to prevent drainage of the area. During the summer, the park is filled with wildflowers, some of which have not been found anywhere outside of the Arctic Circle. The park is named after Summit Lake, which sits at 13,001 feet (3,963 m) in altitude. The land was acquired by Denver in 1924 and incorporated into the Denver Mountain Parks system.At an elevation of 13,001 feet, scenic Summit Lake Park is the City and County of Denver’s highest park. Along Mount Evans Road, Colorado State Highway 5, Summit Lake Park is situated between the 14,264- foot peak of Mount Evans and the 10,600-foot Echo Lake Park, another Denver mountain park. Acquired by the City and County of Denver in 1924, Summit Lake Park is also part of the Denver Mountain Park system. Summit Lake Park’s 160 acres are a natural botanical area. Tundra flowers, some of which have not been found anywhere else outside of the Arctic Circle, are found in the park. Echo Lake Lodge, a Denver concession at the entrance to the Mount Evans Road, offers restaurant services, souvenirs, and restrooms from May through September. Facilities in Summit Lake Park are scenery, natural botanical area, and fishing.

The Denver Mountain Park system is on the National Register of Historic Places as a multiple properties listing. All parks are considered natural areas, and all wildlife and plants are protected and preserved. Please do not feed the wildlife in Summit Lake Park.

Summit Lake Park is 62 miles west of Denver and 15 miles up the Mount Evans Road (Colorado State Highway 5) past Echo Lake Lodge. Take I-70 west to the Idaho Springs/Mt. Evans Exit 240 and then via Colorado Highway 103 to Echo Lake. Alternatively, go to Bergen Park on State Highway 74 then via County Highway 66 (Squaw Pass) and Colorado 103 to Echo Lake.

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