Grouse Lake is located 4.7 miles from the Grouse Creek Trailhead in the Holy Cross Wilderness. It lies in a wide, level basin ringed by thick timber and marshy willow below Grouse Mountain (12,726’). The Grouse Lake Trail closely follows Grouse Creek through grassy aspen groves into thick coniferous forests up to the lake. The trail is highlighted by abundant flowers and good fishing.

Aspen groves containing hundreds of trees can originate from a single clonal parent

The trail passes through several large glades and small meadows over the first two miles

Grouse Mountain's long north ridge separates the Grouse Creek and West Grouse Creek drainages

Lupine gets its name from the Latin word for wolf (lupus), a reference to the belief it consumed a lot of the mineral content in the soil

Young aspen trees first flower at 2-3 years, but won't produce significant seed quantities for 10-20 years

Red Columbine is a perennial herb in the Buttercup Family

Looking north at the Gore Range, which despite its concentration of high peaks, has relatively few named summits

Globe flowers grow low to the ground in damp subalpine and alpine meadows

Grouse Lake is ringed by thick timber and a band of marshy willows on the north side

The trail crosses Grouse Creek several times; this cross at 2.4 miles (where the bridge is out) is the trickiest

Aspen are among the first trees and plants to reclaim disturbed areas, reproducing quickly from a shared root system

Larkspur belongs to the buttercup family; its stem and seeds contain alkaloids that can be toxic to cattle and horses

Frequent breaks in the timber reveal open slopes above the trail

Skunk cabbage is fairly abundant on this trail, which favors damp meadows and creek banks

Grouse Lake is an ideal camping destination for its good fishing and light crowds