Rocky Mountain National Park · Colorado
Lawn Lake / Mummy Range
A quieter two-night out-and-back on the north side of Rocky Mountain National Park. Climb the Roaring River corridor to Lawn Lake for Night 1, retrace to Cutbank for Night 2, then finish at the same trailhead.
Lawn Lake Trailhead to Lawn Lake Trailhead via Lawn Lake and Cutbank
Read the two nights . For this exact direction and two-night permit order. The permit on Recreation.gov
The Mummy Range out-and-back. The shape of it
A steady Roaring River climb reaches Lawn Lake, then gives the elevation back.
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Route turnaround · mile 6.089
Lawn Lake ≈11,000 ft Lawn Lake is the route high point and Night 1 destination; the return follows the same trail toward Cutbank.
- Lawn Lake Trailhead Exact catalog entry
- Roaring River corridor Maintained Lawn Lake route
- Lawn Lake Night 1 · individual site
- Cutbank Night 2 · individual site on return
- Lawn Lake Trailhead Exact catalog exit
- Route length
- ≈12.2 miles
- Total climbing
- ≈3,050 ft gain
- High point
- ≈11,000 ft
- permit option
- Individual sites · 1–7 people
- This itinerary
- 2 nights / 3 trail days
Start and finish at Lawn Lake Trailhead. Follow the Roaring River corridor to the Lawn Lake designated sites for Night 1, then retrace the same maintained route to the signed Cutbank access path for Night 2 before hiking out.
Climb from Lawn Lake Trailhead beside the Roaring River to Lawn Lake. The National Park Service lists four individual sites in mixed fir and spruce forest on the north side of the lake, at 10,990 feet, with a privy and treatable lake or river water.
For the second permit date, retrace the same maintained corridor to Cutbank. The park lists one individual site in lodgepole pine west of the Roaring River; a bridge and signed access path lead from the main route to the site.
After Night 2, return to Lawn Lake Trailhead along the lower corridor. The measured profile follows the state route line and therefore treats each permit square as a representative nearby trail point rather than an exact campsite coordinate.
Night by night
High lake first; riverside forest second
Lawn Lake is Night 1 at the route turnaround. Cutbank is Night 2 after retracing the same trail toward the trailhead.
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N1
Lawn Lake
Individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
Climb the maintained Lawn Lake corridor beside the Roaring River and use one of the four designated individual sites on the north side of the lake.
Lawn Lake · Designated individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
- Lawn Lake (Snow-free average: June 26)
Reserve the active Lawn Lake individual-site offer for Night 1. The separate stock and cabin offers do not substitute.
- Over
- Roaring River corridor
- Camp elevation
- 10,990 ft site listing
- Water
- Treat lake or river water
On the ground. Follow the signed campsite paths and camp safely near the silver metal arrowhead, away from standing dead trees.
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N2
Cutbank
Individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
Retrace the Lawn Lake route, cross the Roaring River on the bridge identified by the park, and follow the signed access path to the single Cutbank site.
Cutbank · Designated individual wilderness campsite · advance reservation
- Cutbank (Snow-free average: May 21)
Reserve the active Cutbank individual-site offer for Night 2 on the return. Nearby Ypsilon Creek and Golden Banner are different provider locations.
- Over
- Roaring River
- Camp elevation
- 9,620 ft site listing
- Water
- Treat river water
On the ground. Cutbank is one exact physical site; nearby campsite names are not substitutes for the second permit date.
The permit
How this two-site Mummy Range watch works
The watch requires Lawn Lake first and Cutbank second on consecutive trip dates. It reports openings; it never books, buys, or holds a permit.
- Two dates, two exact sites
- Lawn Lake must be available for Night 1 and Cutbank for Night 2. One open leg alone does not complete this fixed trip.
- Order is part of the trip
- The catalog climbs to Lawn Lake first, then places Cutbank on the return. Reversing the nights is a different itinerary.
- Parties one through seven
- Both active individual-site offers support parties of one through seven under the same wilderness permit option.
- Annual opening
- Current guidance opens advance reservations for the May-through-October camping season on March 1 at 8:00 a.m. Mountain Time.
- Pickup and access
- The physical permit and vehicle dashtag must be picked up in person. Entrance, road, parking, and trail conditions remain separate live checks.
- Designated sites only
- Rocky Mountain National Park does not allow dispersed camping on this trip. Camp at the exact designated physical site reserved for each date.
- Returned inventory
- A canceled reservation may make a site available again, but the authorities give no guaranteed return minute. Wild Chime never completes checkout.
Primary planning intent
Lawn Lake permit-order answers.
This is a two-night out-and-back with two individually named campsites, not a general Mummy Range permit.
What is the campsite order?
Reserve Lawn Lake for Night 1 and Cutbank for Night 2. Both dates and both named sites must align for the saved start date.
Wilderness Overnight BackpackingAre these zones or designated campsites?
They are individual designated backcountry campsites. The reservation does not authorize dispersed camping along the corridor.
Lawn Lake Wilderness CampsiteDoes the permit cover park entry?
The overnight permit serves as timed-entry permission, but the park entrance pass or fee remains separate. Permit pickup requirements also remain in effect.
Wilderness Overnight BackpackingHard-won
Nine things worth knowing first
The exact night order, route shape, high-lake conditions, and standing wilderness rules worth settling before departure.
This is one true out-and-back
The route climbs to Lawn Lake, then retraces the same corridor past Cutbank to the trailhead. The profile mirrors the verified outbound geometry.
Lawn Lake is exact
Choose the active individual Lawn Lake offer—not the separate stock or cabin offers under the same district.
Cutbank is on the return
The second leg uses Cutbank after descending from Lawn Lake. Ypsilon Creek and Golden Banner remain different physical locations.
Treat mileage as approximate
The state route measures about 12.2 miles when mirrored; signed campsite access paths add travel beyond the main route line.
The first night is near 11,000 feet
The park lists Lawn Lake at 10,990 feet and Cutbank at 9,620 feet. Allow for altitude and recheck current conditions.
Bring the required canister
Current guidance requires a hard-sided, lockable bear-resistant food-storage canister and in-person inspection at pickup.
Use the current restriction, not memory
Campfires are prohibited in the wilderness, and temporary fire restrictions can further limit stove types. Recheck before travel.
Treat every source
The site pages identify lake, river, or creek water and direct visitors to boil or adequately treat it.
Recheck every live authority
Wild Chime does not monitor trails, snow, weather, closures, fire restrictions, entrance access, parking, or permit-office operations.
Questions
Lawn Lake & the Mummy Range, asked and answered
Which direction does this exact trip use?
It starts at Lawn Lake Trailhead, camps at Lawn Lake, retraces to Cutbank for the second night, and exits at the same trailhead.
Can I reverse the campsite order?
Not within this fixed trip. Cutbank first and Lawn Lake second would produce different trip dates and a different catalog itinerary.
Can one open campsite complete the trip?
No. The watch requires Lawn Lake for Night 1 and Cutbank for the following permit date.
Can similarly named or nearby offers substitute?
No. Stock, cabin, Ypsilon Creek, Golden Banner, and other Mummy Range offers have distinct identities and do not satisfy these two fixed legs.
Does the wilderness permit replace every access requirement?
No. Recheck current park entrance, road, parking, trail, and in-person permit-pickup requirements before travel.
Does an alert reserve the permit?
No. An alert only reports qualifying openings. Wild Chime never books, buys, holds, or completes checkout.
Keep the intent distinct
More trips in Rocky Mountain National Park.
Compare exact permit-night orders rather than substituting a nearby route or reversing the dates.
Exact-trip availability
Watch Lawn Lake / Mummy Range.
Start with this exact direction, overnight order, and the permit locations that fit the saved party. Wild Chime reports qualifying openings; it never books or holds them.
For this exact direction and two-night permit order.
Review the current permit on Recreation.gov