Early July, 2012 – After exploring the pretty Provo Canyon and Alpine Loop Scenic Byways we set our sights on another one of Utah’s beautiful drives, the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway.
This road climbs into the mountains on the way out of northern Utah, pausing at a spectacular summit
before plunging into southern Wyoming.
As it winds through the peaks it takes several sweeping curves between the many alpine lakes.
We parked the buggy in a nice secluded spot in the woods and soon discovered that the sound of rushing water we heard was a huge waterfall that was just a little ways down a narrow trail from the rig. What a find! Wildflowers were growing along the water’s edge, and we spent many happy hours among them, marveling at the endless flow of crashing water.
During our stay we hiked to several of the lakes in the area, finding each a little different and pretty in its own way. The Byway’s namesake Mirror Lake was a hubbub of activity on the Sunday afternoon we visited.
Fishermen lined the banks and kids played on the shore. The water was filled with floating craft of all kinds, from kayaks to inflatable boats, and despite the many people on the trails and in the water there was a serenity to this lake that was infinitely appealing.
We enjoyed a few blissful days in these alpine lakes and then made our way off the mountain to Evanston, Wyoming.
Criss-crossing the Utah and Wyoming state borders in this area, we continued north towards Utah’s beautiful Bear Lake. The nickname for this lake is “The Caribbean of the Rockies” and we soon knew why.