Pomeroy Lake Jeep Trail - Saint Elmo Ghost Town to 12,000' Camping (Buena Vista Colorado)

Jeep camping adventure to Pomeroy Lake at 12,000 feet elevation near Buena Vista, Colorado. Trail starts from Saint Elmo Ghost Town, passes historic Mary Murphy Mine structures, and climbs to alpine lake camping with incredible fishing. Challenging weather conditions, historical exploration, and high-altitude overlanding.

*LOCATION & TRAIL INFO:*

POMEROY LAKE TRAIL
Starting Point: Saint Elmo Ghost Town (Chaffee County, Colorado)
Destination: Pomeroy Lake (12,000+ feet elevation)
Distance: Approximately 8 miles from Saint Elmo
Difficulty: Moderate - rocky terrain, steep grades, narrow shelf roads
Best Season: July-September (snow-free access)
Trail Maintained By: CORE (Colorado Off-Road Enterprise) - support trail adoption programs

SAINT ELMO GHOST TOWN
Historic mining town established 1880s. Well-preserved buildings and structures. Popular starting point for multiple 4x4 trails. Located 20 miles southwest of Buena Vista on County Road 162.

MARY MURPHY MINE & ROMLEY TERMINAL
Historic mining operation with impressive tramway terminal building. Visible from trail with aerial perspectives. Step back into Colorado mining history from 1800s.

*TRAIL CONDITIONS:*

High clearance 4x4 required. Rocky terrain with embedded boulders. Steep grades and narrow sections. Weather changes rapidly at altitude - prepare for rain, cold, and wind even in summer. Stream crossings possible depending on season.

*CAMPING AT POMEROY LAKE:*

Alpine lake camping at 12,000+ feet elevation. Dispersed camping available. Incredible mountain views and fishing opportunities. Weather can be severe - experienced cold rain and wind during this trip. Proper cold-weather gear essential even in summer months.

FISHING: Lake contains trout and artic grayling. Successful catches during trip despite challenging weather. Colorado fishing license required.

*WEATHER CONSIDERATIONS:*

Altitude creates unpredictable weather patterns. Temperatures drop significantly at night. Rain and wind common even during summer. This trip experienced freezing temperatures and heavy rain. Waterproof tent setup critical (we forgot rain fly - don't make that mistake).

*BUENA VISTA AREA TRAILS:*

Pomeroy Lake is one of many excellent trails accessible from Buena Vista and Saint Elmo area. Other nearby trails include Tincup Pass, Hancock Pass, and Alpine Tunnel. Buena Vista serves as excellent base camp for multiple high-altitude adventures.

*JEEP WRANGLER SETUP:*

Blue Jeep Wrangler Rubicon JL
Metalcloak 3.5" Lift
Milestar Patagonia MT-02 38x13.5x17
Bestop Trek Top
Recovery gear and traction equipment
Camping and overlanding setup

*BIG THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS:*
Dirtbox Overland - Mention Trail Traveler: http://dirtboxoverland.com
Progressive Suspension: http://progressivesuspension.com
Clayton Offroad: http://claytonoffroad.com
Super Springs - Save 15% with JOURNEYBETTER15: https://thetrailtraveler.com/go/super...

CORE Trail Adoption Program: https://coloradooffroad.org/

*NAVIGATION & TRAIL INFO:*
Trails Off-Road All Access Pass - Save 25% with TRAIL_TRAVELER: https://www.trailsoffroad.com/all-acc...

*JEEP GEAR:*
Bestop Trek Top: https://www.bestop.com/products/trekt...
Bestop Bumpers: https://bit.ly/3wRwIHe

*OVERLANDING GEAR:*
Tribe Trailer: http://tribetrailer.com/
Devos Camp Light (10% off 'Trail Traveler'): http://www.devosoutdoor.com/?rstr=tra...
SetPower Fridges (16% off 'Trail Traveler'): https://bit.ly/ttsetpower
Dometic Fridges: https://thetrailtraveler.com/go/dometic
Bluetti Power Stations: https://thetrailtraveler.com/go/bluetti

*RECOVERY GEAR:*
Yankum Ropes (10% discount): https://thetrailtraveler.com/go/yanku...

*JEEP BUILD DETAILS:*
Optimus (Wrangler): https://revkit.com/trailtraveler/
Bagheera (Gladiator): https://revkit.com/bagheera/

*SUPPORT THE CHANNEL:*
Patreon:   / thetrailtraveler  
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*RELATED VIDEOS:*
Buena Vista Area Trail Guides
Colorado High Altitude Camping
Saint Elmo Ghost Town Exploration
Tincup Pass and Alpine Tunnel Adventures

#PomeroyLake #SaintElmo #BuenaVistaColorado #ColoradoOverlanding #JeepLife #Overlanding #GhostTown #HighAltitudeCamping #ColoradoTrails #MaryMurphyMine