Located south of the Breckenridge area lies a cute little community called Blue River right under Quandary Peak.  Some of the best hikes are between Breckenridge and the beginning of Hoosier Pass, Mohawk Lakes being one of them.  Take a shorter hike to the first lake, or make a day of it and head all the way up to the second.  The views are spectacular and you’ll get a good workout in, too!

When starting out your hiking trip for the day, you want to make sure that you have enough water for the day.  Lots of experienced hikers have filters on them to grab some water from surrounding natural sources, but many need to carry their supply with them.  Keep in mind that you are 10,000 feet above sea level and dehydration is common up here.  Hiking boots are suggested in the spring time, due to the snow melt and mud that you’ll encounter on the trail.  Tevas or Chacos are some popular hiking sandals that are perfect for a warm summer day once the ground has dried up.  The trail does stay open all winter long, but is a much more challenging hike when covered in snow.  If you’re equipped to potentially spend a night in the cold wilderness and you have skins or snowshoes, it’s definitely doable.

Lower Mohawk Lake is located at 11,861 feet and is 2.95 miles from the Spruce Creek trailhead, and the Upper Mohawk Lake is a good length further. Both lakes sit along the south part of Mt. Helen in a glacial valley along the Ten Mile Range. Near Lower Mohawk Lake, Continental Falls pours over huge granite rock formations creating a gorgeous waterfall.  This segment of the trail is one of many favorites for locals and tourists.  It leads past the ruins of a mining operation complete with cabins, mine shafts, and old mining equipment. Make sure you are being very careful when hiking around the mining shafts, as some people have become injured from entering the cabins.

Upper Mohawk Lake is going to be just a stretch further than the lower, but you will reach better views and more wilderness.  The trail leads through pine and aspen forest along a mountain stream, eventually breaking out above tree line at mile three.  While dogs are allowed on this trail, make sure that they are always on a leash in case you come in contact with wildlife.  You’ll most likely only come across a few mountain goats, but moose and bear frequent the area as well.

Take your pole up to the lakes and give fishing a shot!