Mirror Lake/Crater Lake Hike to view Lone Eagle Peak-15 miles total, Out and Back The hike starts out at the Monarch Lake trailhead east of Lake Grandby in Grandby, Co . The route starts on the Cascade Creek trail which then connects you to the Crater Lake trail. The long trek makes it a perfect backpacking trip during the summer, although you do need a permit for backpacking in this area. During the month of Oct, permits are no longer required. The Good: The hike mostly parallels a river the entire way and contains beautiful waterfall features. In fact, for some of the hikers we met, the waterfalls were their destination for the day. The drive by Lake Grandby and the hike past Monarch Lake were also a special sight to see in a state where very large bodies of water are not too common on hikes. Although we didn't see any, the marshy land around the lakes look like a perfect playground for Moose. The Bad: The hike is remote and is a long day of trekking. Unless you camp nearby or backpack, it is inevitable that you are walking back in the late afternoon or evening. On the beautiful Fall day we experienced, this wasn't a problem but the sun does seem to go down quickly as we journeyed back to the car. There was enough snow on the ground and frigid temps at the destination to discourage us from backpacking at the lake. The Beautiful: To view Lone Eagle Peak has been an itch that I've wanted to scratch since my friend, Alicia Pino posted pics on her wall months ago. The jagged peak is very unique and spectacular especially as it hovers the pristine mountain lakes, Mirror and Crater Lake. As Alicia's post inspired me, I hope this gets you out to see this beautiful area. Put this on your Colorado bucket list. #grandby, #loneeaglepeak #craterlake #mirrorlake #kirk #backpack #coloradohiking