Cascade Creek–Mirror Lake Trail, 4 sights
14.9 mi · ▲ 1,900 ft · 5 hr 55 min
Cascade Creek–Mirror Lake Trail, 4 sights is a 14.9-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain Wilderness near Spencer Heights, CO. The route reaches Cascade Creek at the turnaround, 7.4 miles in. It climbs 1,900 ft, with sections as steep as 16% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 95/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Cascade Creek–Mirror Lake Trail, 4 sights
14.9 mi · ▲ 1,900 ft · 5 hr 55 min
Elevation 9,473–10,763 ft
Out & Back · Rocky Mountain Wilderness
Trailhead: Peterson Lake Road · 40.55290, -105.78078
Weather Sep 4: Overcast, high 74°F / low 45° · precip 1% · wind 8 mph · sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:32 PM
No dogs on part of this route · Parking lot at the trailhead
- Start on Peterson Lake Trail, heading E.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Big South Trail, heading SE.
- 2.9 miSharp left onto Poudre Trail, heading E.
- 0.5 miTurn left onto Mummy Pass Trail, heading NE.
- 3.1 miTurn left onto Mirror Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miReach Cascade Creek, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Mummy Pass Trail, heading SW.
- 3.1 miTurn right onto Poudre Trail, heading W.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Big South Trail, heading W.
- 2.9 miContinue straight onto Peterson Lake Trail, heading NW.
- 0.3 miArrive back at the trailhead.
Each distance is the walk from the previous step. Tap a step for a map of its junction.
Trail surface
Weather
Sunset
The best sunset spot on this hike is 6.8 mi in (~210 min). Leave by 3:42 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:41 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
- Parking lot at the trailhead
More from Peterson Lake Road Trailhead
- Peterson Lake Trail via Big South Trail 2.1 mi · ▲ 287 ft
- Corral Creek Trail & Peterson Lake Trail via Big South Trail 9.1 mi · ▲ 887 ft
- Big South Trail & Peterson Lake Trail 10.9 mi · ▲ 1,051 ft
- Mirror Lake Trail & Peterson Lake Trail via Big South Trail 12.2 mi · ▲ 2,639 ft
- Beaver Creek Trail–Flowers Trail, 3 sights 12.3 mi · ▲ 2,596 ft
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