Hiking in Crested Butte, A Sunrise (or Sunset) Hike on the Lupine Trail

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So you’ve planned a summer trip to Crested Butte in Colorado and you’re looking for a good hike to start the trip off. Well, the nice thing about Crested Butte is there are a few hikes right in town that are great for getting acclimated to the elevation while still enjoying the mountains. One of these hikes is the Lupine Trail. Late June through early July this trail will be covered with Wildflowers and in the fall you’ll get to see some fall colors as there are Aspen trees on part of this hike.

I decided to hike it at sunrise to get some good photos and avoid any crowds, but this trail would also be great to do mid day and even in the afternoon-evening time. A year late I went back and hiked it around June 18th, at sunset to get more photos of the Lupine flowers at peak bloom. With that being said, in this post I’ll be going over where to park, trail details, what to expect, and recommended hiking gear.

How to get to the trail and where should we park

To get to the Trailhead you’re going to drive on Gothic Road and then take a left onto County Road 734. Park at the Slate River Trailhead. The parking area is small, but If you arrive early or later in the day, you shouldn’t run into any problems.

Please Note, because this is an out and back trailhead, do not park off Saddle Ridge Ranch Road to start the hike. This is a private neighborhood and this trailhead start should only be accessed via Mountain Bike!

Is this a difficult hike

I would say this is actually a great hike if you are looking for something on the easier to intermediate side. The trail itself isn’t too technical and the elevation gain didn’t feel too strenuous, plenty of areas to take a break if needed. I listed a few trail details below.

Trail Type: Out and Back

Elevation Gain: 1,594 feet

Distance: 5.8 Miles

Dogs Allowed: Yes, but must be on leash

Download the trail ahead of time via All Trails for help with navigation

Best time of the summer for seeing Wildflowers

I visited the second week of July starting on the 8th and the flowers were in full bloom, but I feel like I caught the end of the Lupine. For this trail I think a week earlier or even mid June will be the best time to see the Lupine wildflowers in the summer with some of the other wildflowers starting to bloom in early July.

What is the Trail Like

You’ll start off on a series of switchbacks that overlooks Nicholson Lake. This is an awesome area for photography, especially in the evening! What I also liked about the very beginning of the hike is you kind of feel like you’re in a valley with surrounding Mountains. Mount Emmons will be to your left with Peeler Peak off in the Distance.

Once you pass Nicholson Lake, the trail will start to flatten out and you will be surrounded by fields of Aspen Sunflowers until you reach a wooded area of Aspen Trees. The lighting in the early morning through these trees is amazing fyi. As you exit the Aspen Trees you’ll get some more views of Slate River and the town. If you continue all the way to the end of the trail it will essentially be more fields until you turn around and hike back.

If you’re into any kind of photography whether it’s your phone or a camera, these aspen trees can make some awesome shots.

What should we expect

The first thing to expect is the high possibility of there being more then just hikers on the trail! You might run into horse back riders and Mountain Bikers as this is a popular bike trail. More on biking later in this post. There also isn’t really any shade other then the small part through Aspen trees, so make sure to wear sunscreen. Lastly since this hike is close to town, easy to get to, and not too difficult, expect it to be more crowded during weekends and the 4th of July holiday!

Any wildlife on the Trail

Yes you may see deer on this trail, but other than that I doubt you’ll run into anything else. With that being said, Crested Butte is home to black bears, mountain Lions, and moose, therefore always be aware of your surroundings. It also is beneficial to hike in a group and make noise throughout your hike.

Can you Mountain Bike on this Trail

Yep, this is a great beginner to intermediate Mountain Biking trail! There will be bike rental shops in town as well as up on Mount Crested Butte. I rented a demo bike from the Alpineer off 6th street towards the beginning of downtown. I recommend leaving your car parked in town and then biking to the opposite end of where you actually start the hike (Saddle Ridge Townhomes). This way the climb won’t be as bad and the second half is going to be a better downhill ride then if you were to start at the Slate River Trailhead.

Since the trail isn’t a long bike ride you can keep going and down the road there will be the Gunsight Bridge Trail that you can bike as well.

Recommended Hiking Gear

I made a quick list below for things I would recommend having on this hike!

• Water Bottle- I really like Hydro flask as the water bottles will keep fluids cold for up to 12 hours

• Small Bag- Carry your water bottle, camera, or snacks with a small backpack. Burton makes some of the best backpacks for the outdoors in my opinion

• Lightweight Clothing- Stay away from cotton!, Patagonia, Fjallraven, REI, and Vuori all make great lightweight apparel for hiking

• Hiking Footwear- Since this trail isn’t too rocky, hiking boots aren’t a requirement, but I would say at least have good trail shoes. Stop into your local outdoor store or visit REI.com for good footwear options

• Rain Jacket- Thunderstorms can pop up in the mountains, never leave home without a rain jacket!

Looking for other hiking trails in Crested Butte? Check out the Snodgrass Trail, also not far from town with lots of wildflowers and some pretty epic views. As always thanks for checking out the blog and I’ll see you on the next post.

Breckenridge Colorado, The Ultimate hiking guide to Mohawk Lakes

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Looking for easy trail navigation? Check out Alltrails; an app with trail reviews, navigation, and trail stats. Predownload trails in case of no service.

If you’re looking for amazing hiking trails in Colorado, Summit County in the summer and fall will have some of the best hiking in the state. Old mines, alpine lakes, mountain views, and waterfalls are handful of reasons to wake up early to go hiking on any one one of the many different trails in the area . Just outside of Breckenridge is a fun day hike and an entry level backpacking hike called Mohawk Lakes. No overnight permits needed and it’s a doable hike in one day.

In this post I’ll be going over how to get to Mohawk Lakes, trail details, what to expect, and overnight backpacking info. Alright lets do thisss.

Where is Mohawk Lakes

Located in the White River National Forest of the Rocky Mountains, Mohawk Lakes is in Blue River Colorado, just outside the town of Breckenridge. Part of the Ten Mile Range, this trail is a favorite for locals and visitors. Other towns nearby are Fairplay, Alma, Frisco, Dillon, and Silverthorne.

Coordinates for the trailhead

39.437050, -106.050660

How to get to Mohawk Lakes

The starting point for Mohawk lakes will be at the Spruce Creek Trailhead off of highway 9, 10 minutes south of Breckenridge. If you take I-70 or 285 you’ll end up on highway 9 and then turn onto Spruce Creek Road. From there you’ll pass by a number of houses in a neighborhood and drive up on a dirt parking lot. On the weekends the trailhead gets pretty crowded so try to get there really early or around noon to beat the crowds. It’s ok to park on the side of Spruce Creek Road as you’ll notice plenty of vehicles leading up to the trailhead on busier days.

Below I listed times and distances from major areas in Colorado to the trailhead.

Denver

• I-70: 1 hour 45 minutes/84 Miles

• 285: 2 hours 10 minutes/106 Miles

Boulder

• I-70: 2 hours 25 minutes/90 Miles

• 285: 2 hours 45 minutes/117 Miles

Colorado Springs

• US 24 W to CO 9 N: 2 hours 8 minutes/103 Miles

Fort Collins

• I-25 South to I-70 W: 3 hours 15 minutes/144 Miles

How long is the hike?

It really depends on your speed, but for day hiking it has taken me about 6 hours round trip to the top lake, which includes hanging out at each lake for a little bit. I’m sure it can be done in a much quicker time frame, it all depends on your speed.

Elevation Gain: 2,106 feet/642 Meters

Distance: 8.4 Miles/13.5 Kilometers

Difficulty: Moderate to Challenging

Trail Type: Out and Back

Can families with children do this hike

Definitely, I’ve seen a number of families on this trail with kids and even moms and dads with the backpacks that carry toddlers or infants in them.

Best time to Go

Depending on the snow year, End of June through late October. If we get a lot of snow that season, then the trails usually are not free of snow until late June. On the flip-side, if it starts snowing early in the fall, trails may not be as easy to hike, making it less enjoyable. I’ve been in September as well as in the summer and both are some of the best times of the year to hike this trail. Fall is a nice time in Breckenridge to hike any trail because of the leaves changing, so that’s also something to consider when deciding when to do the hike.

Like anything, weekends will be a lot busier as well as mornings. I would either try to go really early in the morning or mid day as long as there aren’t any afternoon thunderstorms in the forecast!

Are dogs allowed on the trail

Yep, you will see dogs along the way, most are off leash too. Always try to keep your dog in site if off leash, because there is plenty of wildlife in the area!

Are there Wildflowers

In the summer, yes there will be spots along the trail that will have wildflowers! Usually Mid June through Late August, depending on how much rain summit county receives. Surprisingly there were still wildflowers when I hiked this, as it was really dry summer.

Can you Backpack this trail

Yep, it is a great trail if you just got into back packing and want to test out your equipment and get use to your pack. No overnight permits are required and you also do not need an overnight parking pass to leave your car at the trailhead. Make sure to check fire restrictions in the area if you decide to build a campfire!

There are a couple areas at the second lake that you will be able to backpack at with man made fire rings too. Just make sure to pack out all trash, camp at least 200 feet from the water, and dig a hole for human waste.

Trail Details and how to access the Upper Lake

Once you’ve parked your car you’ll want to look for the Spruce Creek Trailhead, located on the left side of the road right after the main parking lot area. This part of the trail takes you through a wooded area until you reach the first lake.

As you walk through the woods, you’ll pass by an opening on the right side that opens up to some of the best views of the hike, overlooking part of the Ten Mile Range. This is also a perfect resting point if you aren’t use to the elevation!

From there you’ll continue on the Spruce Creek Trail until you hit Spruce Creek Road (the same road where you initially parked, but much farther up the mountain). This road will take you to the start of the Mohawk Lakes Trail:) The first lake you’ll come up on is Mayflower Lake, follow the signage for a slight detour to access this lake.

Once you get back onto the Mohawk Lakes trail the elevation gain gets a little more intense and it also becomes a little more difficult to know if you’re on the right trail or not. My best advice is to look either at a map on All Trails (download ahead of time due to lack of service) or to follow the signage and trail as best as possible. There will also be incredible waterfall views as you make your ascent to the Lower Lake. Lower Falls Vista will be near a couple historic mining structures, while Continental Falls will be on your way up to the lower Lake on the right side of the trail. Again, there will be signage along the way to access these waterfalls.

Be very cautious when visiting the Continental Falls and don’t get too close to the edge. The cabin will also make great shelter if it starts to pour rain. A nice hideout as there isn’t any coverage from the cabin.

After you pass the waterfalls you’ll continue to hike up steeper areas of the hike. The trail will begin to level out and that’s how you know you’re approaching the lower lake. The lower lake has an open backdrop surrounding it, perfect for photography. As mentioned earlier this is a great spot to set up for camping if you back packed up to the lake.

If you camped at the lower lake and are motivated enough, I would recommend waking up early to catch the sunrise!

Now that you’ve made it this far, keep going! and head up to the last part of the hike, the Upper Lake. This will be about 15 minutes from the Lower Lake and the climb isn’t too bad. You’ll hike one last small climb before you reach the top. There’s plenty of places at the top to take in the scenery, chill, and eat a snack. You’re also allowed to fish as long as your Colorado fishing license is up to date.

Weather can get cold and windy this high up in the Colorado mountains (even in the summer), so always pack a warm lightweight puffy jacket.

Quite the view when hiking above the top lake.

If you’re interested, keep walking past the Upper Lake and the trail will continue. I didn’t hike it all the way, but I felt some of the best mountain views were on this part of the hike with even more smaller alpine lakes.

What to Pack

1. Rain Jacket- Weather shows up at any given moment in the Mountains, always pack a lightweight rain shell.

2. Sunscreen- Hiking at a high altitude=increased sun exposure so make sure to apply this at least 15 minutes before you venture out. I like Sun Bum, which can be found online at Hansens surf shop out of Encinitas California.

3. Hiking Poles- Although these might seem “uncool”, they help a lot with balance and footing when hiking. Head over to REI or your local outdoor retailer, as they have a great selection.

4. Hiking Boots- Proper footwear is a must. There is a ton of options when it comes to hiking boots. These can also be found at REI or your local outdoor gear shop.

5. Water- Make sure to pack plenty of water. I like the packable Hydrapaks or if it’s a hot day make sure to pack a Hydroflask.

6. Outdoor Clothing- Although outdoor clothing can be expensive it does last a long time. It will be more lightweight, moisture wicking, and more stinkproof when doing stuff outdoors. Try to stay away from anything cotton. I personally like Fjallraven and Mountain Hardwear, but Patagonia, Burton, North Face, and Columbia all make great stuff.

The Descent

Watch your footing as you make your way back down the trail. Please note uphill hikers have the right of way. When you come to the point of taking the Spruce Creek trail back to the parking lot, and want a quicker hike down, take the service road from earlier.

Please note, if you don’t feel like hiking all the way to the Lower Lake or top lake you can take a detoured trail (Mayflower Lakes Trail) from Mayflower Lake, back to the parking lot.

Looking for more Colorado adventure? Check out Leadville, another small mountain town in Colorado not far from Breckenridge. Thanks for checking out the Blog and I’ll see you on the next post.