Mon, Aug 10
|Nederland
Colorado Backpacking Trek | Shabbat in the Rockies
Join us for a 6-day backpacking adventure in Colorado’s spectacular Rocky Mountains. Begin your journey in the gorgeous Boulder foothills and spend a day in magical Nederland, CO before adventuring across high alpine ridges and mountain lakes before spending Shabbat beside the iconic Jasper Lake.
Time & Location
Aug 10, 2026, 5:00 PM EDT – Aug 16, 2026, 10:00 PM EDT
Nederland, Nederland, CO 80466, USA
About the Journey
Trek Overview
Total Distance: 15.2 miles
Total Elevation Gain: 3,175 ft
Difficulty: Challenging
Participants should be comfortable hiking with a full backpack at high elevation (8,500–12,000 ft).
Backpacking in the Indian Peaks Wilderness requires a strict permit system, and most routes sell out months in advance.
Lech-Lecha has secured one of the limited permits for this route, allowing our group to access this extraordinary area with very few other hikers.
Because of the permits, our group size is limited to 11 participants.
A bonus for early signups! We have an optional night in a very cool hostel outside Boulder (Monday, Aug. 10th). If you book your ticket before April 15th, your Monday night stay is on us. See "Itinerary" for more details.
Trek Leaders
This trek will be led by Sophia Katz, an experienced Lech-Lecha trek leader and a Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certified guide You can learn more about Sophia here
Location
This trek takes place in the Indian Peaks Wilderness in Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, just outside Boulder.
The area is known for its glacial lakes, alpine basins, and dramatic mountain ridges, making it one of the most spectacular backpacking destinations in the United States.
Our route passes several alpine lakes including King Lake and Jasper Lake.
Itinerary
(Subject to change depending on weather and trail conditions)
Day 1 — August 10th, Monday
We start our trip off with an optional stay at A-Lodge – an adventure hostel just outside of Boulder (A-Lodge is easily accessible via public transportation). Sophia will be staying there Monday night! We have reserved several dorm beds to make sure they don't fill up. If you book before April 15th, your night stay is on us.
You are also welcome to arrive on Tuesday, joining us in Boulder in the morning in Nederland in the early afternoon (1.5h on public transportation from Denver Airport).
Day 2 — August 11, Tuesday
Tuesday will be spent acclimating to the elevation, exploring Boulder and travelling to Nederlands together, a magical lake village nestled in the Rocky Mountains. We will shuttle participants to the campsite late Tuesday afternoon.
Everyone must plan to arrive at the campsite by Tuesday night in order to ensure that we can hit the trail early on Wednesday. The campsite is a short 15 minute trip from Nederland.
Day 2 — August 12, Wednesday
Distance: 4.87 miles
Elevation gain: 1,775 ft
We begin hiking from the trailhead in the morning, following a trickling mountain stream steadily uphill toward the alpine zone.
We camp below the ridge.
We camp below the ridge.
Day 3 — August 13, Thursday
Distance: 3.67 miles
Elevation gain: 1,375 ft
Today we cross the ridge into the heart of the wilderness.
We will take a break at gorgeous King Lake before continuing along the ridgeline, surrounding by epic views and raw backcountry.
Day 4 — August 14, Friday
Distance: 2.04 miles
Elevation loss: 1,075 ft
We descend into a spectacular alpine basin, passing three different mountain lakes along the way.
By midday we arrive at Jasper Lake, where we will set up camp for Shabbat and build an eruv.
Day 5 — August 15, Shabbat
Shabbat at Jasper Lake
We will spend Shabbat resting beside Jasper Lake, enjoying the alpine scenery and quiet wilderness.
Day 6 — August 16, Sunday
Distance: 4.58 miles
Elevation loss: 1,800 ft
We descend gradually along a mountain stream back toward the trailhead, completing the trek. We will get everyone back to public transportation in Nederland by 4pm in order to get you to the airport or your next destination.
Transportation Recommendations
We recommend flying into Denver International Airport.
From Denver, adventurers can take public transportation to Boulder or directly to A-Lodge, which takes approximately 1.5 hours.
On August 11, we will meet in Nederland, which can be reached easily by public transportation.
Our guide Sophia will have a car and will help shuttle participants the final 15 minutes from Nederland to the campsite.
Shabbat and Kosher Friendly
This trek is designed to be fully Shomer Shabbat and kosher friendly. We are inclusive of people of all religious levels.
We will arrive at our campsite before Shabbat on Friday (where we will built a kosher eruv) and spend Shabbat resting near Beaver Meadow Lean-to before continuing the trek on Sunday.
Spiritual Theme for this Event
Shabbat in the High Country
High in the Rocky Mountains, life moves at a different pace.
Over the course of this trek through the Indian Peaks Wilderness, we’ll experience the unique clarity that comes from time in the mountains. As we arrive at Jasper Lake for Shabbat, we’ll pause from the movement of the journey and allow the stillness of the wilderness to deepen the experience of rest.
What do I need to bring?
Lech-Lecha provides:
All kosher food
Tents
Cooking equipment and stoves
All communal gear
Participants must bring:
Backpack
Sleeping bag
Sleeping pad
Hiking boots or trail shoes
Weather-appropriate hiking clothing
Gear rental is unavailable for destination treks. But feel free to reach out if there's an issue, as we can likely help.
Contact
To learn more about this trek, please contact:
Noam Levenson – Noam@lechlechajourneys.org
Director of Programming
Or our trek leader: Sophia (katz.sophia@gmail.com)
Tickets
Colorado Early Bird
Sale ends
Jun 01, 8:35 AM EDT
Additional Early Bird Bonus: If you register before April 15th, you'll receive a free night at the Boulder hostel (see Itinerary for full details). Paying the full amount guarantees your spot at this experience. Paying only the deposit will reserve your spot up to 2 weeks prior to the event. The full payment is due within two (2) weeks prior to the Trek Date. Please see the FAQ section below for our cancellation policy. Coupon codes only work for full purchases, not with deposits.
$950.00
Lech-Lecha Colorado Trek
Sale ends
Jul 26, 8:37 AM EDT
June 01, 2026, ticket prices go up to $1050/person.
$1,050.00
Pay Deposit Only
Sale ends
Jun 01, 3:00 PM EDT
Paying the full amount guarantees your spot at this experience. Paying only the deposit will reserve your spot up to 2 weeks prior to the event. We will send you an invoice by email for the remaining balance (plus any rental gear!). The full payment is due within two (2) weeks prior to the Trek Date. Please see the FAQ section below for our cancellation policy.
$100.00
Total
$0.00
Frequently asked questions
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Let's Connect
Got questions? Reach out and we'll get back to you real soon!
