Absolutely breathtaking. Accidentally turned on the wrong street last winter and ended up there and…read moreI absolutely loved it!!

Each stop on our full day was momentous. The clouds touch the mountains and it's breathtaking…read more Pictures do not give justice to the view. Wear weather appropriate clothes and shoes. We were not able to make it to the top of the steps but still happy we got to explore this place for a bit!

Beautiful scenic overlook with absolutely breathtaking views, straight out of a postcard!!! It's…read morean easy drive and there was plenty of parking when we arrived, which made it very convenient. Just a heads up: it can be very icy, so definitely wear snow boots or sturdy protective shoes (I slipped a few times ). Overall, totally worth it and I highly recommend stopping by if you're in the area.

Very pleasant and scenic short hike…read more Popular wedding site. We have run into wedding groups who tried to close off trail, which they are absolutely are not allowed to do.

Wonderful trail wow! We saw so many mountain goats! The views of the lake were incredible. Would…read moretotally come back!

Take the 850 road which is unpaved to the 1st parking lot with a lake to the south side. Here you…read morecan see the waterfalls in the distance. You will have to cross the river which has no bridge. Either take off your shoes or skillfully traverse the river by rock hopping across. If you have poles you stand a better chance of not falling off the stepping stones. After the falls you can drive all the way up to the dam and park there. Mountain goats do walk about there to lick the dust off cars or lick the roads there for salt which was left over from the salting of the roads during winter. If you are lucky you will be able to see them up close. Apparently they are there frequently. The views are spectacular in this glacial valley.

How could you not give this wonderful hike anything less than 5 stars!?!?…read moreThere is plenty of free parking at the base. The walk to the trails is all up hill with trees and nature all around you. Once you get to the main trails you have options. There are old mining buildings for photo ops (or GASP just to sit there and take in all that God has created). There is a slight incline flat trail that leads to another building surrounded by the gorgeous and colorful wildflowers OR you can go to the right and go up the mountain (this is what we chose to do even though it looks daunting when you are at the bottom). I have never been on a 14'er but I do not see how it could be any better or more breath taking than the views I saw. Once you get to the top there is a rocky mountain that you can also climb. If you have brought snacks or any food save it until you go to the top of the mountain. There are so many places you can sit and soak it all in. Why rush down since you made up here. There is so much to take in. There are turquoise water areas to gaze at, other mountain tops and feel free to reenact the Sound of Music "Hills Are Alive"! Luckily I was there late July and the wildflowers were in full bloom. TIP: They are not the lightest thing to carry but bring your real camera for photos. Do NOT trample the wildflowers to get a mediocre phone photo for your IG. Let nature live and stand by the path for a photo. Hiking/walking sticks are great but if you forgot yours (like I did) it will not be a big deal.

Beautiful short little trail ! Highly recommend a visit ! Will be back again soon :) Pretty easy to…read moredo as well!

What's iconic about this Centennial State is the fact that it has numerous and stunning alpine…read morelakes. That's why we Coloradans feel lucky to have close access to these crystal clear lakes only a short drive away from our homes. Well, after living in the state for 28 years, I belatedly had a chance to climb up to see the beauty of Mohawk Lakes just several days ago. Due to the unprecedentedly low snowfall the past season (2025/2026), the lower Mohawk Lake's water level was quite low. This was by no means a disappointing view in any way; it still was emitting the beauty of a clear lake image that calmed us the hikers. We got tempted to sit right by the lakeside and start reading a great book although we didn't have one (lol). Two beautiful waterfalls treated us on the way to the top which we, of course, took advantage of by walking around them and snapping photos. Watching the rushing waters invigorated our spirits. Upper Mohawk Lake was the absolute treat to state the least. This lake deserves far better expression than "beautiful" or "stunning" as those words were quite ordinary for it. "Splendid" might be a bit better to use to describe its incredible depth of the character and the charm. Well, you will have to see it for yourself; mere words or even well-taken photos don't justify how gorgeous it is. Late August was a bit too late for the colorful wild flowers and yet it wasn't completely devoid of them as we saw some dark pink and white on the way. The trail gets a bit confusing during the 4.5 miles walk. You might feel a bit lost due to the lack of signs (we did too) especially when we got closer to the lakes (so I would say the last 0.75 miles or a mile) but we kind of followed other hikers to stay on the road. Don't worry; you'll get there! The Canada Jays or Gray/Grey Jays, fluffy mostly white with some black, were quite friendly! They flew over to us where we almost got to pet them! When they come close to you, stick your index finger. They might come and lightly and playfully bite it but it won't hurt. They are absolutely adorable and made our hike so memorable.

The lakes were beautiful and the falls were also very beautiful. The hike was challenging but…read moredoable and not too hard. Good shade in a lot of places but lots of mosquitoes as well you need bug spray for sure! Really crowded but less crowded than a fourteener.

Lisa Ann was the best bartender! she is fast, friendly and great customer service!!!read more

This is actually a service road that goes to North Peak around a lot of the ski lifts. Running…read moreabout 10-11 miles, I think this would be a good all day hike for families who also want to get a peak at some wildlife. Otherwise it's about 5 hours. Most of the trail goes along a creek with a ridiculous amount of beaver dams. I don't know if they're all "natural" or not but if they are, man you must have a beaver issue. F*@king beavers... The day I went up was after it had some snow, which led to some interesting pics. I don't know if it's really worth going up when there's snow on the ground (I'm sure there are way more scenic hikes in the area) but if you just want to stay close to the resort or too much a pussy to take the Fusion rental out for a drive on the snow, this is a decently rewarding hike.

Great trail that allows you to connect to a series of trails and dry slopes in the summer months…read more You can start near the Village or off Mill Creek Circle and connect over. Alternately, begin at the base of Lionshead. It is seven to eight miles roundtrip on the traditional route. I do not remember seeing any berries, ever. So, don't expect a beary berry snack along the way.

What a beautiful fall trail! Starting from the Lionshead side, this path steeply ascends Vail…read moreMountain till you get up to Eagles Nest, over two thousand vertical feet above, and seven miles round trip. I've skied here a ton and biked once but never tried the hiking trails. And they are pretty awesome! Scenic and rugged, with beautiful large aspen groves and deep spruce woods. Many overlooks and clearing with the ski paths help open up the views! It's not well marked but if you keep going uphill, you'll be ok. Fantastic colors right now(10-7-23). Get out there while you still can!

Trip report: 8/22/26 Sat 8 a.m starting from the TH…read more Parking lot was full but still able to find the spot by the TH. Facilities: porta potty. Didn't use it. TH is 30 min from STARBUCKS at Idaho Springs so if you do not like the porta potty, thats another option. Wild flowers: July 12, 2025 so much wild flowers including columbines everywhere especially at the finally leg of the hike. Aug 22, 26.. Definitely lot less and no columbine. Took about 2 hours to the lake and another 2 coming down. Had several people in the group with foot problems and also breathing problem. Do not wear brand new hiking shoes to this long trail. You will get a blisters! Also, if your shoes are tight, you will get a black toes on the way down so get a shoes thats 1/2 size bigger. Also, bring a hiking stick if you are not sure of footing. Will help! RT 7.29 miles Elevation gain: 1665 ft Highest: 12009 ft

This hike is at least in my top three. An hour from Denver and close to cute mountain towns for…read morelunch after? Count me in. Wear good shoes because you will encounter way too many exposed roots along different parts of the trail. Other than that, it's pretty perfect. You'll huff and puff at the beginning and level out to some meadows and wildflowers. You'll huff and puff again when it gets steep towards the end. Finally you come to the lake and 360 degree mountains all around. There are some rocks to sit on and take pictures, have a snack and a rest. It gets crowded so as always with popular trails in this area, leave early in the day. Parking is tight so there's another reason to be an early riser for this hike.