Click Here for Recommended Campsites, Mileage and Elevation Changes

USGS Quads in order of passage. 1. Granite Peak, 2. Emerald Lake, 3.   Granite Peak

To reach the Pine River trailhead take Hwy 160 from Duranago about 15-miles to Bayfield.  Turn left at a very obvious intersection and follow signs to Vallecito Lake.  Follow the paved road around the top of the lake from west side to east side and as you head south you will be on CR 602.  CR 602 becomes a gravel road.   Follow it to the end.  There is a large parking lot at the trailhead

It is an easy 6 mile walk to up the Los Pinos to Lake Creek and the area allows plenty of room for multiple campsites.  The Los Pinos roars by this area in spring as does Lake Creek that is fed by the Emerald Lake water shed.  There is a bridge across Lake Creek.

Emerald Lake is gorgeous and is the 2nd largest natural lake in Colorado.   There is no camping allowed within 1/4 mile of the lake itself.   Just downstream you can camp among the boulders that slid off the mountain to form the lake and it is very pretty here.  Above the lake, there are good campsites on both sides of Lake Creek.  In years of heavy snow the ford across Lake Creek here can be tricky but it is normally easy.  I have seen the level rise and fall a foot during the day from the temperature change effect on snow melt. Your first view is of Little Emerald Lake.  Big Emerald may be seen at the foot of the mountain and flows into Little Emerald at the center of the photo.

This is a view of Big Emerald looking north toward Moon Lake.

Moon Lake, elevation 11,600 feet, is a small lake above tree line and has limited camping.  Most stop at Emerald so there is seldom a problem.  Day hike it if you choose to camp at Emerald - it is worth the walk. 
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An option for a longer hike with a different return is to continue up past Half Moon Lake over the pass, elevation 12,470 feet, to Rock Lake (not the Rock Lake near Wolf Creek Pass), down the Rock Creek Trail to Vallecito Creek trail and back to the trailhead at Vallecito Reservoir.  You will need to have transportation between trailheads or hitch a ride.   The trail over the pass is steep and rough but doable.  We have not hiked it with a pack.  This is fantastic country and worth the extra effort (the climb from Moon Lake to the pass is only 1.5-miles with a 900-foot el change)
Looking down on Half Moon Lake from the pass to Rock Lake.