The Granite Lakes are located 5.95 and 6.7 miles from Mt Nast Colony Road in the Hunter - Fryingpan Wilderness. The lower lake (11,319') sits just below treeline against the west valley wall, and the upper lake (11,568') is .75 miles ahead in a more open setting at treeline. The trail follows the Fryingpan River 3.4 miles before turning up Granite Creek and climbing steeply to the lakes. Visitors will river access, healthy forests and solitude at Granite Lakes.

The open east side of Lower Granite Lake is ringed by damp grasses and level forest ideal for camping

Approximately 65 miles of hiking trails cross the lightly traveled Williams Mountain Range of the Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness

Upper Granite Lake (11,568') is fairly small but meadows and thinly treed slopes around the lake provide a spacious feel with room to explore

The Roaring Fork Watershed has one of the longest contiguous sections of Gold Medal water in CO, including 14 miles of the Fryingpan and 28 miles of the Roaring Fork

Rugged route finding back and forth across Granite Creek leads into this large meadow, past which travel clarifies up to the lakes

Oxeye daisies, found in meadows along the river near the trailhead, spread from roots, root fragments or by seeds, which may be viable up to 38 years

The Granite Creek drainage runs south-north between the South Fork Fryingpan River and Marten Creek drainages

The Hunter-Fryingpan Wilderness was designated in 1978 and covers over 82,000 acres

Gold Medal waters are defined as having a minimum of 60 pounds of trout per acre and 12 trout greater than 14" inches per acre

The first 3.4 miles trace the Fryingpan River through heavy subalpine forests on a shifting and sometimes faint path