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Cascade Trail

 5.0 (3)
  1. Areas
  2. CO
  3. …Central Rockies
  4. …Granby
  5. Monarch Lake
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Map Key

Length


9.7 Miles 15.7 Kilometers


4,208' 1,283 m

Ascent

-27' -8 m

Descent

8%

Avg Grade (5°)

45%

Max Grade (24°)

12,530' 3,819 m

High

8,349' 2,545 m

Low

Shared By Tom Robson

Conditions

Unknown
History
Getting forecast...

“The most popular trail in the Wilderness, and for good reason...”

— Tom Robson
Driving DirectionsGPX File

Dogs Leashed

Features Birding · Fall Colors · Lake · River/Creek · Views · Waterfall · Wildflowers · Wildlife

Cascade Trail is the most popular trail in the Indian Peaks Wilderness (IPW), especially on weekends and holidays.

Description

The trail is fairly flat the first 1.5 miles before reaching the Arapaho Pass Trail-Cascade Trail junction. Many campsites are available along its entire length and fishing is good in all the creeks as well as Pawnee Lake.

Shelter Rock with its huge overhanging ledges, is an illegal place to camp as it is within 100 feet of the trail. Just up the trail from Shelter Rock is the Buchanan Pass-Cascade Trail junction with the Buchanan Pass taking off to the left. 4.5 miles along the trail is Cascade Falls. Horses are not allowed past Cascade Falls.

The last 2.5 miles of the trail is the hardest. There are approximately 27 switchbacks along this last portion and can be especially hard with a heavy pack, but the view on top is one of the best in the IPW.

Contacts

Land Manager: USFS - Arapaho National Forests - Clear Creek Ranger District

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Your Check-Ins

Check-Ins

Jun 23, 2018
Laurie Atkinson
up to Crater Lake n 2:45, (7.5 miles) 15mi
Jul 30, 2016
Mike J
Full Details

Trail Ratings

  5.0 from 3 votes

#1

in Monarch Lake

#340

Overall
  5.0 from 3 votes
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Rankings

#1

in Monarch Lake

#56

in Colorado

#340

Overall
91 Views Last Month
3,903 Since Apr 21, 2015
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Photos

View at Pawnee Pass, looking toward northwest.
View at Pawnee Pass, looking toward northwest.
 5
Lone Eagle Peak over the trees.
Lone Eagle Peak over the trees.
 4
One of several waterfalls along the way
One of several waterfalls along the way
 5
From the trail that heads up Pawnee Peak, looking at Pawnee Pass and Shoshoni Peak.
From the trail that heads up Pawnee Peak, looki…
 5
Monarch Lake trailhead in the early morning
Monarch Lake trailhead in the early morning
 4
Along Monarch Lake
Along Monarch Lake
 5

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Nearby Hikes

Lone Eagle Peak above Mirror - from the Crater Lake Trail
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Early morning along the trail
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It feels like there are more than 3 defined waterfalls along this trail.
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Nearby Gems

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Crater Lake and Lone Eagle Peak

9
Granby, CO
gem

Long Lake

7
Nederland, CO

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