Hiking in Breckenridge
One of the best parts of spending time in Colorado is the natural landscape. Luckily, we have a wide variety of public lands here in the state that anyone is welcome to use and enjoy. In the summit county area, trail systems stretch from all corners and lead across the state. One hike that you MUST try if you will be staying in the Breckenridge area later this spring, summer or fall is the Mohawk Lakes trail. This trail provides a great balance of difficulty, leads through a diversity of different scenery and landscape, and is in a great accessible location.
Challenge Yourself
The first reason that you must try out this trail this summer is the difficult but manageable terrain. Though this is not an easy trail system, it works its way up as you continue to the top of the lake. If you leave yourself enough time to hike this 9-mile trail it can be very leisurely and enjoyable. I like to bring a backpack with some food and drinks that I can enjoy once I reach the top. That may be just me, but it sure is important to stay well fed and hydrated out on the trail, so come prepared!
What You Can Expect to See
The main reason to hike the Mohawk lakes trial later this spring is the amazing diversity of scenery and landscape that the hike offers.
- Red Pines: As you begin the trail, you are in a dense older forest of red pines.
- Beautiful Creeks: This thick greenery expands as you hike along the lower sections of a creek trickling through the scattered pines. This section of the trail is known as the Spruce Creek trail, but I would highly suggest hiking through this section as a warm-up.
- Mountain Lakes: As you continue, the landscape begins showing sections of more dramatic incline until you make your way up to Mayflower lake – one of my favorite parts of the trail. This lake ranges from about 2-6 feet in depth gently rolling over into the creek below. Sharp unforgiving mountain ridges surround this gentle natural reservoir nestling it into an otherwise inaccessible area. You will want to pull out your hammock and chill for the rest of the day, but don’t give up yet! Some of the best landscape is yet to come.
- Waterfalls: Once you pull yourself away from the glorious Mayflower lake, you will hike up beside cascade falls dumping over the side of the cliff face above. I personally enjoy getting close to the falls to enjoy those on the way up. Above the waterfalls you will see an Alpine lake. You think you made it, and your close, but not quite there.
- Mountain-top Lake: Keep hiking along lower Mohawk and the landscape will open to your end goal- Upper Mohawk Lake. This large, deep, alpine lake settles gently above as the source for all the beautiful water you saw on the way up. The clarity of this section will make you want to relax and ponder why you don’t quit your job and enjoy the earth every day as it was meant to be enjoyed.
Location Location Location
The best part about getting to this trail is how accessible it is from the famous Breckenridge. We like to use the AllTrails app and that will give you directions right to the trail head. As I mentioned before, don’t drive past Spruce Creek Trail because this is a beautiful section of this hike.
Located just 10 minutes from the beautiful downtown makes this a great hike for the morning – leaving time to stop at Breckenridge Brewery for food and drinks in the evening.
Overall, everyone, especially if you live in the Summit County area, should try this trail. It’s balance of difficulty, incredible and diverse landscape, and easy accessibility all make it a candidate for one of the first trails you should be on this summer. Don’t miss out on this awesome personal journey and of course, great exercise!