Colorado · Hiking · Eagles Nest Wilderness

Upper Cataract - Mirror Lake

13.0 mi
round trip
1,630 ft
climb
11,942 ft
high point
Out and back
route

Is Upper Cataract - Mirror Lake open right now?

Alert in the area

The Forest Service lists 6 alerts for White River National Forest.

As of · Source: USFS · White River National Forest. Agencies don't list every closure — check before you go.

Upper Cataract - Mirror Lake is a 13-mile out-and-back hike in the Eagles Nest Wilderness, part of the Dillon Ranger District of White River National Forest in Colorado. The trail rises from a low point of about 10,400 feet to a high of about 11,940 feet, with a total elevation gain of 1,630 feet. The Forest Service manages the land, and the route is rated hard. The trail is on natural surface and allows horses, but bikes are not permitted. It is open year-round, and the nearest town is Dillon. Summer is the most comfortable time to go. Typical averages from a nearby weather station at Climax, CO, show July highs around 67°F with lows near 40°F, while winter brings highs in the mid-20s and frequent snow days from December through February. Upper Cataract Lake #63 sits just 0.1 mile away, and the Cataract Lake Loop and the Cataract Lake (Heeney, Colorado) climbing area are both within about 1.5 miles. Cataract Creek Campground is about 2 miles off.

Go with a guide

  • Best time to go

    Best time to visit Upper Cataract - Mirror Lake

    No month here meets our mild-weather rule. Best months have typical highs of 55–85 °F, lows of 30 °F or warmer (32 °F where the station doesn't record snow), at most one snowy day and no more than 12 wet days.

    1. Jan

      27° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    2. Feb

      29° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    3. Mar

      35° / 8°

      14 wet · 14 snow

    4. Apr

      40° / 15°

      13 wet · 13 snow

    5. May

      49° / 25°

      10 wet · 8 snow

    6. Jun

      61° / 34°

      8 wet · 2 snow

    7. Jul

      67° / 40°

      13 wet

    8. Aug

      64° / 39°

      15 wet

    9. Sep

      58° / 32°

      11 wet · 2 snow

    10. Oct

      47° / 21°

      9 wet · 7 snow

    11. Nov

      35° / 11°

      12 wet · 12 snow

    12. Dec

      27° / 3°

      15 wet · 15 snow

    Typical high / low (°F) and days with rain or snow, 1991–2020. Measured at Climax, CO, 31.2 mi away at 11,344 ft. The station sits about 600 ft lower than this place, so expect it a little cooler here. Source: NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020.

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