Colorado’s Spruce Creek Trail and Mohawk Lakes

With hiking season just around the corner, I thought I’d share one of my favorite places to hike in Colorado.

Four years ago, my family discovered a gem tucked away in the mountains near Breckenridge, Colorado ~ Spruce Creek Trail. My son was three at the time, and with the help of a Kelty child carrier backpack, we hiked on this breathtaking trail to the first of three lakes—Mayflower Lake. There at the lake, we found a rocky outcrop to rest our feet and enjoy a picnic. Oh, we savored the gorgeous scenery—the massive mountains surrounding us, the clear mountain lake with a healthy stock of trout, and the stoic evergreens towering over us. I knew in that moment we’d be coming back.

And yes, we’ve hiked this trail several times since then, each time stopping at Mayflower Lake. But last summer, we decided to hike on past our usual stopping point to the next lake on the trail—Lower Mohawk Lake.  The last stretch to the Lower Mohawk Lake challenged us all as it snaked up a steep section of the mountain. My little guy was such a trooper, though, as he pressed onward, eager to see what awaited us up on top. One of the highlights for him was grabbing onto an old cable (used to lift and lower ore carts for mining operations) to climb the steepest section of the trail.

When we finally reached Lower Mohawk Lake, we breathed in the refreshing mountain air and marveled at the alpine lake and beautiful scenery. Oh, it was well worth the extra exertion to reach the lake!

For more information about about Mohawk Lake Trail, please click here.

Photographs of the Hike

Below are several photos I took when hiking the Spruce Creek Trail last summer. I hope you enjoy them!

The beauty of wildflowers

Dainty wildflowers along the trail

My favorite mountain flower ~ the columbine.

Colorful and vibrant wildflowers

The pristine Spruce Creek

My little guy tries out his new binoculars for the first time.

Oh, this is the life for me!

Continental Falls

A mountain view from the remnants of an old cabin

Gorgeous mountain views on the last stretch to Lower Mohawk Lake.

Oh, you can’t beat Colorado’s blue skies!

Lower Mohawk Lake. . . Yep, that challenging hike was well worth this view.

Remnants of mining operations on the mountain.

Close-up of tramway used in mining operations in late 1800s.

My family

These boots were made for hiking, but after a six mile hike, give me my sandals! :0)

About Juliet

Juliet lives in beautiful Colorado with her family. She is a writer and editor. In her free time, she enjoys cooking, gardening, spending time in the mountains, and reading all sorts of books.

12 comments on “Colorado’s Spruce Creek Trail and Mohawk Lakes

  1. looks like a great trail….love the photos…especially of the Continental Falls….! also like the mining artifacts as we live in a historic mining area here in the mountains of Eastern Oregon.

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