The Cascade Creek Trail, #1, begins at Monarch Lake and leads up to Pawnee Pass. It is one of the most heavily used trails in the Indian Peaks Wilderness. It is also one of the most spectacular, offering the traveler a large diversity of attractions. Campsites and fishing are available along the creek. Horses are not allowed past Cascade Falls. Backpackers going up to or over the pass should be prepared for extremely windy and often cold weather, especially in early and late summer. The trail leads past Hell Canyon and Pawnee Lake. It intersects the Buchanan Pass Trail and the Crater Lake Trail. Snow is normally present on the trail above the Crater Lake-Cascade junction, and Pawnee Lake is frozen until the end of June. The pass trail is generally free of snow by mid-July. After crossing the pass, the trail can be followed down to Lake Isabelle and Long Lake, on the east side of the Divide.
Directions from Granby: Follow Highway 40 west to Highway 34. Go north on Hwy 34 to Forest Road 125, on the south end of Lake Granby. Follow 125 east to the Monarch Lake Trailhead.
Seasonal Information:
Normally Accessible:
Summer through Fall
(NOTE: Snow is normally present on the trail above the Crater Lake trail junction and Pawnee Lake is frozen over until the end of June. The trail to the pass normally holds snow until Mid-July.)
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