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Cow Meadow Lake might be pretty but be warned, it is horse packer heaven. Notice the horses illegally tied up above. The brochure says that "Confining or holding stock within 100 feet of lakes, streams, or campsites is prohibited." It also says to "fill in holes and smooth over pawed areas." Notice that the horses have dug the ground up around them so that it is now almost a foot lower than it used to be. When I leave a place that I have camped you will only see footprints left behind, and these disappear quickly with the first rain.

At the outlet of Cow Meadow Lake is the start of the crosscountry route.

From the slabs of granite you can see that a trail isn't always necessary, usually. Sometimes you had to backtrack.

Creeks are my favorite places to camp. I always like to explore the pools on the creeks, looking for that perfect swimming hole with the smooth rocks to lay on nearby. However, with the cool temps of this hike I didn't really think about that much. Creeks also give you more privacy as most people like to camp at lakes.

One of the meadows along the North Fork of Cherry Creek. It's only a 3 day hike to get here, maybe 2 if you really walk fast.