Bloods Lake Trailhead — Attraction in Four Corners States

Fantastic hiking area. We did the Bloods and Lackawaxen lakes hike with our dogs. You can’t take your dogs to Bloods lake so the trail has a bypass for that lake. We did it at about 0830 in the morning in the end of Sept. and it was quite cool which it made it very nice. We have two small dogs and they were able to do the entire hike, even over the two rock fall areas that you will cross on your way up to Lackawaxen lake. The majority of this hike is very shaded so it would probably still be comfortable in the hotter months due to the elevation and shade. This was our first time doing this hike and we learned that it is considerably easier to start at the Lackawaxen trailhead about a 1/4 mile farther down the road due to the fact that it starts by going through a fairly flat field whereas the Bloods Lake trail starts by going down the side of the mountain which you have to climb on the way back. The trails come together after about a 1/4 of a mile so it makes sense to start at the Lackawaxen trailhead. By the time we finished our hike there were people waiting to get into both parking lots so it pays to get up early to start. I didn’t realize how popular these hikes were until we finished. This hike reminded me of a lot of hikes I have done in Yellowstone & the Grand Tetons. We will definitely be exploring this area some more. Love the fact that you can take your dogs since so much of the area in the Canyons is off limits to them for reasons that I cannot fathom. It is hard for me to believe a little dog urine or feces will contaminate the water supply more than what is already done by the wild animals...

5/5, would recommend. Hiked this trail on Labor Day weekend, 2025. In the photo, “You Are Here” marks the Blood Lake Trailhead and parking lot. Parking: parking spots were available before 9:30 AM and after 2 PM. Between those times, the wait was 15–20 minutes to park. Parking was $6/hr. You can pay with card at a kiosk. The hike took us just under 2 hrs (45 minutes in, 20–30 minutes at the lake, 40 minutes out = about 1 hr 50 min total). Bloods Lake Trail: relatively flat and easy, through the aspen trees, until the last 200–300 yards, which are very steep switchbacks to get up to Bloods Lake. Might be difficult for the very young or very old. Kalamazoo/Loopine Trail: branches off of Bloods Lake Trail shortly after the trailhead. Goes down into the valley on some moderately steep switchbacks, then you walk the gradual slope up the valley to Bloods Lake. The trail is mostly in shaded trees except for the middle part where you walk on the floor of the valley for a quarter mile or so. We hiked this in a loop using Kalamazoo/Loopine Trail on the way to Bloods Lake and Bloods Lake Trail on the return and I would highly recommend that route simply to avoid going uphill on the steep switchbacks on Bloods Lake Trail. Also, everyone was hiking Bloods Lake Trail and almost no one was hiking Kalamazoo/Loopine Trail, so it was nice to not have to walk slowly behind slow hiking groups on the way to the lake. Bloods Lake: very pretty! The photos speak for themselves. Overall, great hike!...

Trail is great - short (about 1.3 miles each way; my 9 yr old didn't complain too much), relatively flat (but if s climb to the lake the last 0.2 miles). It's supposed to be no dogs allowed (water source at lake supplies a girl's camp downstream) but every other higher we saw had their dog with them. Plenty of folks on the trail the day we were there (which was a Tuesday) and the parking lot fills rapidly (was 1/2 full when we left at 9 am and completely full by the tube we got back at about 10:30 am). The parking is the downer here: area is now owned and developed by the Park City cooperation; they turned what use to be a free parking area into a pay-to-park lot (which is still dirt and on a hill, so not clear on what improvements they have done, really), and are charging airport parking rates for you to have your vehicle there. I think we paid $10 for two hours of parking (which is all the time you need to get to the lake and back). The parking is via cell phone, but there is limited signal at the site, so use the kiosk near the restrooms instead. I'm ok with paying to park, but would like to see those funds used to actually improve the parking area. ...