Peterson Lake–Cascade Creek, 5 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 1,952 ft · 6 hr 9 min
Peterson Lake–Cascade Creek, 5 sights is a 15.5-mile out-and-back in Rocky Mountain Wilderness near Spencer Heights, CO. The route passes Peterson Lake before reaching Cascade Creek at the turnaround, 7.8 miles in. It climbs 1,952 ft, with sections as steep as 18% grade, and is mostly dirt. It scores 95/100 on the Ambleway Wildness scale: genuinely wild.
Elevation
Getting there
Directions
Peterson Lake–Cascade Creek, 5 sights
15.5 mi · ▲ 1,952 ft · 6 hr 9 min
Elevation 9,473–10,763 ft
Out & Back · Rocky Mountain Wilderness
Trailhead: Peterson Lake Road · 40.55395, -105.78613
Weather Sep 4: sunrise 6:34 AM · sunset 7:32 PM
No dogs on part of this route
- Start on Peterson Lake Road, heading SE.
- 50 ftPass Peterson Lake.
- 0.3 miContinue straight onto 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 E.
- 3.1 miTurn left onto Mirror Lake Trail, heading NE.
- 0.6 miPass Cascade Creek.
- 200 ftReach Peterson Lake, then turn around and head back the way you came.
- 0.6 miTurn right onto Mummy Pass Trail, heading SE.
- 3.1 miTurn right onto Poudre Trail, heading SW.
- 0.5 miSharp right onto Big South Trail, heading NW.
- 2.9 miContinue straight onto Peterson Lake Trail, heading N.
- 0.4 miContinue straight onto Peterson Lake Road, heading NW.
- 0.2 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 7.2 mi in (~220 min). Leave by 3:32 PM for the 7:32 PM sunset. Back at your car by 10:50 PM, after dark — bring a headlamp.
Good to know
- No dogs on part of this route
More from Peterson Lake Road Trailhead
- Peterson Lake–Big South Trail, 3 sights 2.8 mi · ▲ 339 ft
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