Directions:

From I-70 take the Silverrhorne exit and head north on CO Hwy 9. Bear left onto Heeney Road and follow it for 5 1/2 miles. Turn left (south) onto FS 1725.1 for 2 1/4 miles. Turn right just after the Cataract Creek Campground and follow the narrow road for 0.4 miles to the Eaglesmere Trailhead. These roads are well marked with good signs pointing you to the various trailheads and campgrounds in the area. The roads are dirt but most cars should have no problems. The last bit of road to the trailhead can be narrow and a bit rough but should be much of an obstacle.

Hike Description:

Eaglesmere Lake is nestled high on the northeast slopes of the Gore Range and Eagles Nest Peak. The trail is beautiful year-round but really comes to life in the fall. This is one of the best fall colors hikes in the Eastern Gore Range. The total hike distance is about 7 3/4 miles so it is not too difficult but still requires a good amount of effort to complete. As long as you area not expecting epic mountain views, the lake itself is a pleasant destination. However, getting to the lake, you hike through some stunning scenery and terrific views of Eagles Nest.

Immediately after leaving the trailhead, you are surrounded by dense aspen forest and it doesn’t really stop until you reach the evergreen forest much further up the trail. After about 1/2 mile of hiking through the forest you are treated to your first views of Eagles Nest and Lower Cataract Lake in the valley below. The next portion of the hike skirts a south facing slope, so the views are continuous. At 2 miles, you enter the Eagles Nest Wilderness. The next mile or so provides some of the prettiest aspen groves of the whole hike as you alternate between evergreen forest and bare alpine meadows surrounded by aspens…soak it in.

At the 3 mile mark, you reach the junction with the Gore Range Trail and the fall color bonanza is pretty much over. The trail continues to climb through the pines before descending briefly to the Eaglesmere Lake spur trail. When you arrive at the lake, you’ll notice that this is really two lakes separated by a spit of land. There are many campsites and beautiful places to relax. The lakes are peaceful and a great place to regain your strength for the return trip. Tip, the best views of the Gore Range can be found at the North shore of the north (smaller) lake. I didn’t realize this until later so I missed out on some photo opportunities…oh well…. The return hike follows the same route so you get to relive the splendor of the alpine views and the verdant aspen groves.

This hike is simply amazing. The area is not quite as busy as other areas of Summit County in the fall, so this is an excellent choice to immerse yourself in fall color and get away from the crowds.