Tuhare Lakes - 11.2 Miles Round-Trip

The Tuhare Lakes are located 5.6 miles from Tigiwon Road in the Holy Cross Wilderness. The upper lake occupies a massive cirque carved from the Holy Cross Ridge, and the lower lake is 275' below in a high alpine terrace. Upper Tuhare Lake (12,365') is notably large for a lake at this elevation.

Trail Map | Photo Gallery

The Fall Creek Trail runs high along the west valley wall before opening in the upper valley at Lake Constantine, past which the Tuhare Lakes Trail splits off on a strenuous climb to the lakes.

Visitors will enjoy excellent fishing, scenic waterfalls and imposing alpine backdrops on the hike to the Tuhare Lakes:

The trail begins on a moderate grade in a thick subalpine forest. It dips at 1.3 miles (10,840’), the first of several subtle drops that add up on the return. Timber breaks here on a steep slope with good views across Fall Creek and distant peaks in the Gore and Ten Mile ranges.

Walk through a stream that bisects the trail at 1.52 miles and resume steady travel past interesting rock features to the Notch Mountain Trail split (2.34 miles : 11,225’).

The Fall Creek Trail continues SW on mild-moderate undulations to the base of a talus slide and meadow (3.5 miles : 11,240’). It steepens away into the upper valley where the landscape opens to rolling alpine meadows and Lake Constantine (3.95 miles : 11,371’).

Lake Constantine is a compelling destination in itself, with exceptional fishing and ideal camping terrain. The trail fades and splits through damp meadows around the lake, but clarifies on higher ground on the west side.   

The trail undulates past Constantine in a thinning forest to the Tuhare Lakes Trail split (4.55 miles : 11,505’).  The Tuhare Lakes Trail splits west and clears treeline on a steep, twisting climb beside the lower lake’s outlet falls. Some hand-over-hand scrambling is required on this segment.

It levels briefly with a great look at the waterfall (4.95 miles), then presses steeply right beside it to Lower Tuhare Lake (5.2 miles : 12,090’). Talus or snow may obscure cairns but the route is fairly obvious. The lake fills a scenic alpine terrace with thick grasses, large boulders and a diverse collection of flowers.

The intermittently defined trail continues along the north shore and scales rugged terrain beside the waterfall's upper tier. The falls are spectacular, but avoid adjacent rock slabs that can be perilously slick.  

The landscape will naturally funnel you (left) across the top of the waterfall to Upper Tuhare Lake (5.6 miles : 12,365’). Note the route you took, as it may be difficult to retrace. Upper Tuhare Lake is massive, and ringed by jagged 13,000’+ peaks of the Holy Cross Ridge. Scan slopes above for mountain goat and bighorn sheep, which are common in this area.