Jewell & Black Lakes Trail

Jewell & Black Lakes Trail

If you want a longer, more challenging, and bracing wilderness hike, this is one of the better ones in the park that is easily accessible. It takes you below the west side of Longs Peak and the aptly named Keyboard of the Wind, rock sentinels that whistle and moan in the frequent high winds; you’re likely to see some amazing sites in this glacier-sculpted valley of rock art. As with many of these destinations, the farther you go, the more enchanting it becomes. If you want to visit three lakes in magnificent settings, this trek is for you. The journey to the first two can be nice daytrips in and of themselves. Black Lake is a moderate to challenging hike, depending on conditions. On a calm summer’s day it is delightful; fall and spring offer ice and wind chill that keep you on your toes. Hearing high winds approaching from the Keyboard of the Wind on Longs Peak on an unsettled day is an experience you won’t want to miss.

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