At a Glance
Difficulty
Hard
Distance (one-way)
7.2 miles
Elevation
10,503 ft
Elevation Gain
N/A
Trailhead
North Inlet TH
Park Area
North Inlet / Grand Lake Area (West)
Side of Divide
West
Coordinates
40.2708°N, 105.7395°W
North Inlet / Grand Lake Area (West)

Pettingell Lake

Remote west-side lake

Photo coming soon — North Inlet TH approach

About Pettingell Lake

Pettingell Lake has its own place in the North Inlet / Grand Lake Area (West) landscape: a hard lake at 10,503 feet. It sits on the west side of the Continental Divide.

The setting is remote west-side lake. The approach from North Inlet TH is 7.2 miles one-way and belongs in the hard tier for this guide. The North Inlet and Grand Lake area is west-side backcountry: longer valleys, broad drainages, and fewer quick turnarounds. The distance and setting make this a plan-ahead destination, not a casual lake stop.

NPS distance tables place the North Inlet Trailhead near Grand Lake on the west side, where long valley approaches replace the short, crowded Bear Lake Road pattern.

Route Map

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