Summit Lake Park

About Summit Lake Park

This park is in Clear Creek County, Denver, Colorado in the USA. Built in 1924, the park covers 0.65 km2 (0.25 mi2) of alpine lake and tundra. It is Denver’s highest mountain park and lies at the foot of Mount Evans, which has an altitude of 4,348 m (14,265 ft). Its elevation and climate makes it ideal for a variety of rare alpine plants, many of which are found only here and in the Arctic Circle. For this reason, it is also designated a National Natural Landmark.

Fauna and Flora

The flora is the main feature. The park’s location means the growing season is short and displays of spring flowers start in early July, ending quickly by mid-August. Many of the plants are tiny and can take up to 100 years to grow just one inch.

Wildlife includes mountain goats, picas, elk, deer and marmots, as well as many reptiles and birds.

Advice

Walking on the tundra is forbidden to prevent damage to the fragile plant life – visitors must stick to the designated trails. Note that there’s very little shelter in the park, and the area is prone to afternoon storms. It can also snow at any time of the year, but equally, take sunscreen to protect rom the sun’s rays, especially at higher elevations.

Did you know?

The park is named after Summit Lake, a tarn which lies at an altitude of 3,912 m (12,835 ft) in a glacial cirque on the north face of Mount Evans. It is the headwaters of Bear Creek.